Naples in Italy got its name from the Greek Neapolis. Credit: Pietro Scerrato, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

The Greek language has influenced other languages in so many ways, but how many of us are aware that some of the most well-known European cities trace the roots of their names back to Greece?

Europe is scattered with cities whose names reflect the rich cultural and linguistic influence of ancient Greece to the entire continent.

Greek-named cities can be found everywhere, from the Mediterranean’s sun-soaked shores to the Black Sea‘s windswept coasts. This mere fact demonstrates brilliantly the global reach of ancient Greek culture and its importance in shaping today’s world.

In this article you will find most of the well-known and some of the lesser-known European cities with Greek-derived names.

Naples: The “new city” of the ancient Greek settlers

Naples is Italy’s third-largest city and the epicenter of the Italian South.

Naples—or Napoli in Italian—has a name with distinct Greek origins. Naples was known in ancient times as “Neapolis,” which is Greek and means “new city.”

Neapolis was one of Magna Graecia‘s most important cities and the financial and cultural center of the broader Western Greek world.

Its abundant Greek heritage extends all the way to the 7th century BC, when Greeks first arrived in the area as they embarked on a journey from mainland Greece that was destined to change the Mediterranean significantly. Some claim that the Greeks settled in Naples as early as the second millennium BC.

The Cathedral of the city of Messina. Credit: Pinodario, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Messina: From sickle to city

Across the Strait of Messina lies the Sicilian city of Messina.

Originally called Zancle, its name derived from the Greek word “zaglon” meaning “scythe” due to its crescent-shaped harbor. The city was later renamed “Messene” in honor of the Greek city of the same name on the southern part of the Peloponnese.

It has to be noted that even today, Greece has a regional unit called Messinia with Kalamata as its capital city.

The waterfront of Nice. Credit: Alexander Migl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nice: A victory by the sea

Moving westward to what is today the prestigious and popular French Riviera, we come across the well-known city of Nice.

The city was founded by Greek settlers from the Greek colony of Massalia (Marseille) around 350 BC. These Greek settlers named their new city “Nikaia” after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

This name was chosen by the Greek colonizers to commemorate a victory over the nearby Ligurians, which allowed them to settle in the area permanently.

The Russov House, one of many historic buildings in Odessa, Ukraine. Credit: Romankravchuk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Odessa: A case of mistaken identity

The Ukrainian port city of Odessa, unfortunately in the news recently due to the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, got its name from a historical misunderstanding.

The city of Odessa was named after the ancient Greek city of Odessos, which was incorrectly thought to be situated there.

In reality, the ancient Greek city of Odessos was confirmed to be the modern-day city of Varna in Bulgaria.

The harbor of Sevastopol. Credit: GIC198, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sevastopol and Simferopol: Russia’s Greek-named cities

Sevastopol and Simferopol are two cities in Crimea, the Ukrainian territory which has been annexed by Russia since 2014.

These two cities exemplify the deep interest and love that the Russian Empire had with Greek culture in the 18th century.

Sevastopol is a name that means “venerable” or “respected city.”

It was named in honor of Empress Catherine the Great and its name comes from the Greek words “Sevastos” and “Polis,” which is Greek for city.

Simferopol, on the other hand, derived from the Greek word “symferon,” meaning “common good.”

Museum in Stavropol, the “city of the cross.” Credit: Elenastav, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Stavropol, the city of the cross

Stavropol is another Russian city with a Greek name. It is located in southwestern Russia, north of the country of Georgia.

Its name combines “stavros,” the Greek word for “cross” with “polis.”

According to legend, soldiers unearthed a stone cross at the location while erecting a castle and therefore decided to give the name of the cross to the entire region.

These Greek-named cities are more than just examples of a once linguistically ever-expanding Greek culture. They are real examples of the roots that many European cities have, which connect them to Greek culture and Greece’s world.

They are examples that remind us of the long-lasting influence of ancient Greek civilization on the continent’s cultural landscape, which paved the way for later Roman influence.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria. Credit: Jose Ligero Loarte, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sofia, the city of wisdom

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is another major European city whose name derives from the Greek language.

The word that gave its name to the Bulgarian capital city is sophía, meaning “wisdom” or “divine wisdom”.

The city’s name originates from the prominent Byzantine Greek Orthodox church in Constantinople named ”Naos tis tou Theou Sophias,” which translates as Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia). This church was commissioned by Roman Emperor Justinian I.

First attested in the 14th century, the name was reinforced during Ottoman rule and therefore stuck with the city.

The etymology reflects the deep historical connections of the city of Sofia to Greek culture and Byzantine Christianity, showing the deeply rooted interrelation of the nations that once lived under Byzantine rule.

Originally known by other names like Serdica and Triaditza, Sofia ultimately embraced its current Greek name.

The Pretoria square in Palermo. Credit: Tango7174, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Palermo, Magna Graecia’s great harbor

Palermo, the renowned capital of Sicily, is another great example of Greek influence in terms of the etymology of city names.

Palermo derives its name from the ancient Greek word “Panormos”, which means “all” and ”anchorage bay” or ”port”. This name describes very precisely the strategic location of the city of Palermo, which is characterized by a spacious natural harbour formed by two rivers, the Kemonia and Papireto.

Founded originally by Phoenicians around 734 BC, Palermo was later influenced heavily by the Greek settlers of Magna Graecia. These Greeks, who appreciated its exceptional maritime positioning, helped the city grow both financially and culturally in the following centuries.

The Greeks also realized that the city had huge potential as a comprehensive port that could become a hub for the broader region, facilitating trade with the East and the West, hence they named it Panormos.

The city hall in Taranto, Italy. Credit: Livioandronico2013, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taranto and the mythological Greek King

Taranto is another city in southern Italy and the broader Magna Graecia region with a Greek name.

The name Taranto derives from Taras, a mythical hero in Greek mythology. According to legend, Taras was the son of Poseidon who had a terrible shipwrecked and was miraculously rescued by a dolphin, which carried him to the southern Italian coast.

The Spartan colonists who founded the city in 706 BC named it Taras in his honour. On ancient coins that have been discovered as well as in the modern city emblem, Taras is depicted riding a dolphin, often holding Poseidon’s trident.

The city became a significant part of Magna Graecia, a region of Greek colonial settlements in southern Italy, and maintained its Greek identity for centuries before the Roman conquest.