10 top names for your car from Greek mythology

Ten of the best names from Greek mythology to help you name your next car lease

With headlights that seem to wink at you, a grille that could almost be smiling (or frowning), and a unique way of driving, every car on the road has a distinct personality.

Anyone who is a fan of the Cars movies - and who isn't a fan of Lightning McQueen - knows that not only does a car's 'face' match its personality, but the name needs to as well. Mater wouldn't be Mater without the name to go with his distinctive toothy looks and goofy personality.

And when it comes to the most important bit of car leasing - naming the vehicle - there are so many directions you could go in.

You could try alliteration - Pete the Peugeot works nicely, as does Jessica (Honda) Jazz. A smaller, older car might suit a name like Doris or Betty, while a big ol' monster truck needs a strong name to match. Like Bruce. Or Crusher. 

The licence plate might spark some inspiration (a licence plate ending SAL would lend itself quite nicely to the name Sally), or you could dive deep into your favourite TV shows. Game of Thrones is particularly good for those fantasy names - Jon Snow for a white car, Arya for a car that holds a grudge - while cult classics like Stranger Things could provide inspo if your car is a little more on the retro side.

You could even look to the past if history is your kind of thing. You can almost guarantee that no one else will have a car named Cynethryth or Athelstan. King Athelstan, if you're feeling regal.

And one of the best places to look for car name inspiration? Greek mythology.

There's not only an abundance of names to choose from, but there are names for every car personality, type, make, and model you could think of, from budget city cars right up to luxury saloons. 

We've pulled ten of our top car names from Greek mythology to help inspire you when it comes to naming your next lease car - and we've even picked out the cars that we think fit the names perfectly.

1. Zeus

You can't talk about Greek mythology without mentioning Zeus. God of the sky, king of all the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus - this is a big name that needs a big car to go alongside it.

Zeus is the perfect name for a Land Rover Defender. It's spacious and rugged, but still has that premium finish, with big plush seats and a cabin crammed with the latest tech. There never was a car made more for the king of the gods than the iconic Landy. 

It's also a great name if you're more of a Tesla person - a Tesla Model Y lease (we're thinking specifically in the white, as befits the god who lives among the clouds) is an excellent choice if you're looking for something a little more environmentally friendly, and it embodies the powerful Zeus name perfectly. 

2. Aphrodite

Goddess of love, the name Aphrodite is an excellent choice if you drive something like the iconic Fiat 500 or the sleek Audi TT Coupe. And Aphrodite the Audi does have a nice ring to it.

Such a pretty name really does need a pretty car to match - though she's still not to be messed with.

If you're after a name that's both beautiful and strong, Aphrodite is the perfect pick. It makes for a stellar convertible name too: you can just imagine Aphrodite screaming around a Greek island in a BMW Z4, wind in her hair and sun glinting off the car.

3. Hades

King of the underworld, god of the dead, Hades is a more unusual pick - but it's one that works really well for smaller, sleeker cars.

The Tesla Model 3 is an absolute embodiment of the Hades name with its sleek lines and eco-friendly creds. And there's plenty of space in the boot for five suitcases or the family dog. Even if that dog has three heads, like Cerberus.

In fact, the Model 3 is such a perfect pick for the name Hades, we wouldn't be surprised if he'd already invested in a Tesla lease.

4. Persephone

Wife to Hades, we can see Persephone's name also working for a Tesla Model 3 lease (though not in the black - the deep blue metallic or silver works much better for the Persephone name). 

But the name Persephone also works incredibly well for some of our other favourite cars. Persephone is definitely an electric car name - she is the goddess of spring, after all - and it would fit something like the Kia EV6 or Genesis GV60.

Something a little more upmarket, a little more luxe - something befitting a queen.

5. Hermes

Not the old delivery company - we're talking the messenger god.

Something small, something quick, something speedy would suit the Hermes name. We're thinking the Abarth 595 with its sporty credentials and powerful exhaust that leaves everyone behind in the dust.

Or a hot hatch. The name Hermes works exceptionally well for a hot hatch. The Ford Fiesta ST or the Toyota GR Yaris are both excellent contenders with their compact size and performance-focused drive. 

6. Poseidon

God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, the name Poseidon suits something on the larger, more rugged side.

We're thinking something like the sea grey Ford Ranger. Suitably hardy with a cracking payload capacity and the ability to tow everything short of Mount Olympus itself, there couldn't be a better name for this massive workhorse.

Or really, any blue car would suit the Poseidon name, if you're going down the god of the sea route. Apart from perhaps the sapphire blue Smart Fortwo, which might get ideas above its station with a name like Poseidon.

7. Odysseus

If you're the kind of person who enjoys adventures - an odyssey, if you will - then the name Odysseus could work perfectly.

Hopefully, it won't take you ten years to return from your adventures, but if it does, at least you'll be travelling in a comfortable car rather than a boat. A Jeep Wrangler, perhaps, would be a good candidate for the Odysseus name. Or the mammoth Volvo XC90. 

Big enough for carting around all your mates, plus their luggage, and even a dog or two. It's not a real adventure unless you've brought your four-legged friend along after all.

8. Achilles

Aristos achaion, the best of the Greeks, the name Achilles is for the bravest of the cars.

The Polestar 2, perhaps, which was brave enough to take on established rival the Tesla Model 3. It's done very well since it launched, and with its claimed range of up to 337 miles, excellent driving experience, and slightly aggressive looks, it's a car that deserves the Achilles name.

Just don't go shooting any arrows into its heel.

9. Artemis

Goddess of the hunt and a lunar deity, the name Artemis suits a car that's ready for an adventure, but only if that adventure takes place in the darkness of night under the stars. Something that glistens in the moonlight.

You get the drift.

We're thinking the Range Rover in Santorini Black for that luxe feel in a car that's still ready to go mountain climbing, or - on the other end of the scale - a Mercedes CLA lease. Sleek and practical, yet ready to go racing down deserted roads in pursuit of the hunt.

If the hunt is finding the nearest Starbucks.

10. Helen

The face that launched a thousand ships, the name Helen works for the most beautiful cars. The ones you look at with a nod and go 'yeah, that's a stunning vehicle'.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so the cars you might call Helen differ to the cars we'd call Helen (and if you ask me, I'd be calling the Honda e 'Helen', but it does have a divisive beauty), but cars like the Lotus Emira are objectively beautiful and would be perfect for the name Helen.

But the Emira is unattainable for most of us.

Luckily, there are also beautiful and affordable cars that would suit Helen as a name, like the strikingly good-looking DS 4 in the copper gold colour.