Greek name origens.

Greek Learning Greek
1

Just wondering…

is the name Odysseus derived from odous?(if so why did it loose the aspiration?)

Does the name Homer derive from the word for “hostage”(I think I heard that on a PBS show once)?

2

I was taught that Odysseus comes from οδυνη (pain). Autolykos gives him the name in the Odyssey (book 19, line 409). I have no idea about Homer’s etimology, but I would assume that it’s not identifyable, since we know so little about who/what Homer was anyway.

3

Re Homer - ever since commencing Hebrew studies it has appeared to me that Homer is rather similar to various forms of the word ‘omar’, i.e. “He speaks”. This may just be coincidence though.

4
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5

Did the Greeks just have one name, unlike the Romans who had three?
Where the names chosen from pre-existing names(like we do) or were they made up by the parents?
If the Greeks had only only one name, then there was no family name?