The first name Achilles
A boy’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /əˈkɪliːz/ 3 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Borrowed from Latin Achillēs, from Ancient Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Akhilleús).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 5 boys were named Achilles, making it the 3,684th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 13 births (#1,781).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Achilles with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Achilles at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 151 boys born in the United States were named Achilles, the 1,290th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 257 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Achilles in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Achilles in Dutch, Indonesian and Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Achilleus
- Akhilles
- Akhilleus
Famous people named Achilles
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Kullervo MannerFinnish politician (1880-1939)
- Richard A. BallingerAmerican politician (1858–1922)
- Émile Prisse d'AvennesFrench Egyptologist (1807–1879)
More Greek boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Achilles mean?
- Borrowed from Latin Achillēs, from Ancient Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Akhilleús).
- What is the origin of the name Achilles?
- Borrowed from Latin Achillēs, from Ancient Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Akhilleús).
- How popular is the name Achilles?
- In 2025, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Achilles, ranking 3,684th. Its peak was 2022, with 13 births.
- Is Achilles a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,844 US babies named Achilles since 1880 were boys.
- When was Achilles most popular?
- 2018 in the United States, when 257 babies were named Achilles, its highest rank at 857th.
- How do you pronounce Achilles?
- Achilles is /əˈkɪliːz/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Achilles?
- Achilleus, Akhilles and Akhilleus.