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Hector (given name)

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Hector
Sculpture of Hektor being brought back to Troy, dating from c.180–200 CE.
GenderMasculine
Language(s)Greek
Origin
Meaning"to have", "to hold", "to check", "restrain"[1]
Region of originGreece, England, France, Scotland, Spain
Other names
DerivedHektor
Related namesEachann; Hector (surname), Heitor

Hector (/ˈhɛktər/) is an English, French, Scottish, and Spanish given name. The name is derived from the name of Hektor, a legendary Trojan champion who was killed by the Greek Achilles. The name Hektor is probably derived from the Greek ékhein, meaning "to have", "to hold", "to check", "restrain". In Scotland, the name Hector is sometimes an anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic Eachann, and the pet form Heckie is sometimes used. The name of Sir Ector, the foster father of King Arthur, is also a variant of the same.[2]

Etymology

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In Greek, Héktōr is a derivative of the verb ἔχειν ékhein, archaic form *ἕχειν, hékhein ('to have' or 'to hold'), from Proto-Indo-European *seɡ́ʰ- ('to hold').[3] Héktōr, or Éktōr as found in Aeolic poetry, is also an epithet of Zeus in his capacity as 'he who holds [everything together]'. Hector's name could thus be taken to mean 'holding fast'.[4]

Cognates

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People with the name

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Arthurian legend

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Fictional characters

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Monomial characters
Monomial with descriptor
Binomial characters
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See also

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• Orthodox Church celebrating Saint Hector

References

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  1. ^ "Hector: name meaning and origin". BabyCentre UK.
  2. ^ a b c A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. 1996. ISBN 0-19-280050-7.
  3. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Greek. Brill Publishers. p. 399. ISBN 978-90-04-17418-4.
  4. ^ This etymology is given under "Hector" in the Online Etymological Dictionary, which, if true, would make it an Indo-European name, of root *seĝh-. The Dardanians would not have been Greek, but the language of the city of Troy is still an open question.
  5. ^ Woulfe, Patrick; Slevin, Gerard (1974). Irish names for children (Revised ed.). Gill and Macmillan. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7171-0697-4.