The tradition of giving Greek girl names is not as stringent as the other countries. They have more liberty in choosing the name of their children. However, there is one common practice which remains up to this time. That is naming the first born daughter after the paternal grandmother. The Greeks remain faithful to the patron saints from whom most of the Greek girl names are derived, with Maria as the most popular, after the Virgin Mary. The name is associated with the positive values such as kindness and goodness of heart to commemorate the Virgin Mary. Hence, women who are named Maria feel proud of it.
It does not come as a surprise that a lot of parents all over the world name their daughters Maria or Mary. Greek girl names strongly suggest a patronizing spirit of the place where they come from. Some names may be popular in the north but not in the south, and vice versa. In ancient Greece, baby girls are known to be named after their ancestral grandmothers that many find to be old-fashioned, or after the goddesses. As modernization swept the country, Greek girl names were not spared. But there remains a distinctive quaint Greek character in their names. It is not to say that they have forgotten their history but rather adapting to the modern world. Thus, the resurgence of classic names has been accepted and is considered exotic and quintessential.
To the Greeks, there is power in the Greek girl names they give their daughters. For one, they are strong believers of the Orthodox Church. This nature manifest in the way they name their daughters. The Greek mythology and religiosity influence their name giving culture. The metaphysical and spiritual elements of the Earth are combined, thus giving birth to girl names of mixed ancient Greece and Orthodox. Typical Greek girl names include Venus, the goddess of beauty and Diana, the triple goddess.