Peleus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Peleus

What is the meaning of the name Peleus ?

The baby name Peleus is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈpɛliəs/ (PEL-ee-əs).

Peleus is Greek in Origin.

Peleus is the Anglicized and Latinized form of Ancient Greek Πηλεύς (Pēleús). Its etymology is debated: some trace it to πηλός (pēlós, “clay, mud”), yielding a sense like “earthy” or “of the soil”; others connect it with πελός/πέλιος (pelós/pélios, “dusky, livid”). Consequently, the meaning is uncertain, though “muddy/earth-born” is sometimes cited in onomastic sources.

In myth, Peleus was king of Phthia and leader of the Myrmidons, famed as the mortal husband of the sea‑nymph Thetis and father of Achilles; his wedding, attended by the gods, sparked the events leading to the Trojan War. The name appears in Homer, Pindar, Apollonius of Rhodes, and Ovid, and has seen sporadic revival in classicizing circles but remains rare as a given name today. Variants and transliterations include Pēleus (scholarly), Modern Greek Πηλέας (Piléas/Peleas), Spanish and Italian Peleo, Portuguese Peleu, and French Pélée.

⚙ Peleus is a genuine rarity. In all, it appears just 1 time, across 1 country.