Oedipus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Oedipus

What is the meaning of the name Oedipus ?

The baby name Oedipus is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈiːdɪpəs/ (EE-dih-puhs).

Oedipus is Greek in Origin.

Oedipus is the Latinized form of Greek Οἰδίπους (Oidipous), most likely from oid- “swollen” and pous “foot,” hence “swollen-foot.” The epithet alludes to the myth in which the infant prince’s ankles were pinned together, leaving lasting marks. The name became known to Latin readers through Roman adaptations of Greek tragedy and was preserved by medieval and Renaissance retellings across European vernacular literatures.

As a given name, Oedipus has seen virtually no regular use in the Western naming tradition, largely because of its tragic and taboo associations and Freud’s “Oedipus complex.” It appears almost exclusively in scholarly, theatrical, or symbolic contexts. International variants include Greek Oidipous/Οἰδίπους (and modern Οιδίποδας), French Œdipe, German Ödipus, Italian and Spanish Edipo, Portuguese Édipo, Polish Edyp, and Russian Эдип (Edip).

⚙ Nothing for Oedipus shows up in the birth registries or name datasets we track. Names like this are usually very rare, tied to a particular region or tradition, or freshly invented. Whatever the reason, hardly anyone else has it.