Roman Mythology Names

Roman religion filled its calendar with deities tied to daily life, and many of their names still work beautifully for children today. Diana ruled the hunt and the moonlit woods, Luna was the moon itself, Aurora brought the dawn, and Flora presided over flowers and spring, celebrated in a lively festival each year. Victoria personified victory and appeared on coins and monuments across the empire. Sol, the sun god, gives a short and bright option, and Apollo is one of the few major gods the Romans adopted from Greece without changing his name.

Some names come from Roman legend rather than the pantheon. Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the twins of the city's founding story, which gives both Rhea and Sylvia a direct link to Rome's origins. Camilla was a swift warrior maiden in the Aeneid, and Evander was the Arcadian king who, in that same epic, welcomes the hero to the site of future Rome. Maia was honored in spring, and her name is often linked to the month of May.

Spelling variants are common in this group. Diane is the French form of Diana, Silvia and Sylvia are both widely used, and Dayana is a newer spelling that keeps the sound of the goddess's name.