Phryne

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Girl · Greek

Phryne

Say it: FRY-nee

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Meaning

From Greek phrynē 'toad', a nickname reportedly given for her sallow complexion.

Certainscholars agree on this meaning.

Originally a nickname; the famous bearer's birth name is reported as Mnesarete.

Its wave through time

No birth counts are recorded for this name in the records loaded here: it has been given to fewer than five babies a year, or not at all, since records began.

Through the ages

  1. Ancient Greece800 BC to 146 BC

Used by

Ancient Greek

Famous bearers

  • Phryne, Athenian hetaira and model for Praxiteles

Names worth a look

Where this comes from

  • Ancient Greek literature and history (Homer, Herodotus, Plutarch and others)

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.