US Cities With Greek Names

More than 100 cities and towns across the US have been named after Greek cities, mythological heroes and historical figures of ancient and modern times.

Greek culture and history held a profound influence on the Founding Fathers and early American society. The ideals of democracy, free thought, and individual liberties, deeply rooted in Greek philosophy and governance, resonated with the aspirations of the new nation.

Naming cities and towns after significant locations in ancient Greece served as a symbolic tribute to the heritage and values that inspired the American experiment.

Ypsilanti is a city in Michigan named after Demetrios Ypsilantis, a hero in the Greek War of Independence, showing the universal meaning of the Greek uprising against the Ottoman Empire and its values.

Olympia is the capital city of the state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It has 46,500 residents and it is named after the sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, the most famous games in history.

Athens is a name you can find in several cities in the states of Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Indiana, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

There is also a New Athens in Illinois and an Athens County in Ohio. The name of the Greek capital and ancient goddess Athena seems particularly popular in the USA.

Arcadia is yet another Greek-origin name found in various states including California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin.

The home of the ancient Greek god Pan and the praised unspoiled natural environment of the Peloponnese region has been a source of inspiration in the USA.

The name of the famous ship that carried Jason and the Argonauts to the Golden Fleece, Argo, is a small town in Texas, while Arion the poet who was kidnapped by pirates and was miraculously saved by dophins is remembered in both Iowa and Ohio.

You can also find replicas of the important Greek port city of Corinth in Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, Texas and Vermont.

Sparta and Ithaca among US Cities With Greek Names

The famous city-state of ancient Greece known for its disciplined warriors and its unique social system, Sparta, has reemerged in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin.

Titan Atlas who was punished by Zeus to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders is remembered in Atlanta cities in  Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana,Missouri , Nebraska, New York, Texas. There is also the name Atlas in Michigan and Kansas, and the name Atlantic City in New Jersey.

Troy the ancient city of the Trojan War described in Homer’s epic The Iliad has been a source of inspiration for cities and residences in Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

The home of Ulysses Ithaca has been used in Nebraska, New York and Ohio, while a city in central Texas was named after Ulysses’ faithful wife Penelope. Echo, the ancient Greek mountain nymph that fell in love and had her heart broken by Narcissus, gave her name to cities in Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Utah.

Cities bearing the name of the ancient epic poet Homer are found in the states of Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio. The name of Greece’s biggest island Crete has been used in cities both in Illinois and Nebraska, while Delphi, where the famous ancient oracle once was, inspired the residents of Indiana, Kentucky and New York as well.

Greece has given its name to the town of Greece in Monroe County, New York, United States. With a population of 96,095 according to the 2010 census, the Town of Greece was established in 1822 from part of the Town of Gates and was previously called Northampton. The name Greece was selected because of the then-contemporary struggle of Greece for independence from the Ottoman Empire.