Psyche as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Psyche

What is the meaning of the name Psyche ?

The baby name Psyche is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsaɪki/ (SYE-kee).

Psyche is Greek in Origin.

Psyche derives from Ancient Greek ψυχή (psychē), “soul, spirit, life-breath,” from the verb ψύχειν (psychein), “to breathe, to cool.” In classical myth, Psyche is the mortal beloved of Eros (Cupid), whose trials and apotheosis embody the soul’s journey; her story is best known from Apuleius’ Latin Metamorphoses (The Golden Ass). The name also underlies modern terms like psychology and psychiatry.

As a given name, Psyche is rare but has appeared intermittently since the 19th-century classical revival and Symbolist era in Europe and later in Anglophone settings, favored by literary and artistic circles for its ethereal resonance. Variants and equivalents include Greek Ψυχή (transliterated Psychē or Psykhe), French Psyché, Italian Psiche, Spanish/Catalan/Portuguese Psique, and German/English Psyche. Related elaborations such as Psykhea or Psychia are modern inventions. The name is typically feminine, though its abstract meaning supports occasional unisex use.