Achilles

Achilles - A very unique male name

Achilles appeared on the charts for the first time in 1921 on position #1731. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Achilles and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Achilles? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Achilles. The baby boy name Achilles was given to 75 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1440 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 19,550 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Achilles peaked in popularity 8 years ago in 2018 on position 876.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Achilles, 1-5?

Achilles is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Achilles is currently topping the baby name charts in North Carolina at position #937 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,414.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Achilles is where you live.

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Achilles origin and meaning

Greek, from mythology

Uncertain — the name of the Greek hero; its deeper etymology is disputed and the familiar explanations are guesses

Achilles is the great hero of Homer's Iliad, whose rage, duel with Hector and vulnerable heel drive the story. The name has been used in small numbers in America for a century and peaked in 2018 during the fashion for mythological names. It has fallen since, but remains a bold, literary choice.

Origin uncertain

Achilles is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Achilles, pop culture references for the name Achilles and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Achilles

We've found the following names that sound similar to Achilles, sorted by popularity.

Aquiles / Ashleigh /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Achilles

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Achilles a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Achilles?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

uh-KIL-eez · /əˈkɪliːz/
Spoken English gives Achilles three syllables, although the provided syllable count for this name is 2.

Around the world

• Achille (French) — The French form of the name.
• Achille (Italian) — The Italian form of the name.
• Aquiles (Spanish) — The Spanish form of the name.

Famous bearers

• Achilles — Hero of Homer's Iliad, the central Greek warrior of the Trojan War (Greek myth) Fictional

Style

MythologicalLiterary

Why parents choose it

Achilles is a statement name — heroic, classical and unmistakable. Parents choose it for the myth, knowing the heel reference comes with it.

Worth knowing

• 'Achilles heel' is an everyday phrase for a fatal weakness.
• It is a large name for a small child; there is no natural short form.