Adonis — Meaning, Origin & Everything to Know

Adonis is an Greek name whose meaning — 'lord; handsome youth' — gives it a quiet depth beyond its sound. Within the Greek world, Adonis sits in a tradition where myth, philosophy and the early church gave these names their vivid, picture-like meanings. What keeps Adonis from feeling like a passing trend is the 'lord; handsome youth' meaning sitting quietly underneath it. Because it rests on Greek rather than passing fashion, Adonis carries a sense of history that many parents look for. For a son, Adonis carries a sense of elegance, kindness and gentle favour while staying simple to say and spell. Below you'll find everything about Adonis — etymology, popularity, the personality people attach to it, its numerology number, and names that pair well with it.

What Does the Name Adonis Mean?

Adonis means 'lord; handsome youth', a sense it draws straight from its Greek roots.

Historically, Adonis took shape among Greek speakers, for whom naming a son was an act of meaning. Adonis survived centuries of use precisely because 'lord; handsome youth' stayed legible — the meaning never drifted far.

Modern parents tend to hear Adonis as fresh rather than old-fashioned, with 'lord; handsome youth' giving it a positive, aspirational edge. It is exactly this balance that lifted Adonis into wider use in the 2020s.

Adonis carries connotations of elegance, kindness and gentle favour; the Greek background gives that symbolism somewhere to stand.

Origin & Etymology of Adonis

Greek · Greek

The roots of Adonis lie in Greek, carrying the sense 'lord; handsome youth'. In the Greek tradition myth, philosophy and the early church gave these names their vivid, picture-like meanings, and Adonis fits squarely into that pattern. As Greek communities moved and mixed, Adonis travelled with them — sometimes keeping its spelling, sometimes adapting, but holding its meaning. Adonis endured through quiet, repeated choice more than through any one celebrated namesake. Now Adonis works as both a nod to roots and a thoroughly usable everyday name.

Within Greek culture, Adonis connects to enduring values through its idea of elegance, kindness and gentle favour. As Adonis spread internationally it was received warmly and adopted by families well beyond its origin — a sign of a name that crosses cultural lines gracefully. Regional forms of Adonis exist, yet 'lord; handsome youth' usually stays intact across them. Adonis lets families abroad keep a link to their roots without choosing something hard to wear day to day.

How to Pronounce Adonis

A-do-nis — Adonis is usually said in 3 parts — A · do · nis. From Greek roots: vowels are open and clearly sounded.