A male name. Greek ‘Ερακλής, Latin Hercules, of unknown etymology, the name of the s. of Zeus and Alcmena. It was first used as a christian name in Italy (Ercole) at the time of the Renaissance and spread to France, where Hercule is still sometimes used. Hercules is found as a christian name in England, though rarely, in the 16th and 17th C. It apparently continued to be used in Cornwall until the 19th C, but may have been confused with Archelaus (Matt ii. 22).

M. Now rare, it is in honour of the Classical equivalent of Samson. The Greek ‘Ηρακλης; (Hērakles: ‘lordly fame’) became in Etruscan Hercle, whence Latin Hercules.

Found as a baptismal name at the present day. The Latin name, in Greek written’Ἡρακληες, by contraction’Ἡρακλης. According to some Hercules or’Ἡρακλης was so called because through Juno (’Ἡρα) he was destined to gain immortal glory (κλεος), and live in the praises of posterity (Diod. S. 4, 10; Scbol. Rud. Ol. 6,115). Macrobius (Sat. 1, 20) renders Hercules ‘glory of Hera, the lower air, the native darkness of which is illumined by the sun.’ Hermann considers Hercules as virtue personified, and carrying off glory and praise:’Ἡρακλης ηρατο κλεος (Briefe über Homer und Hesiod, p. 20). Knight gives to the fable of the hero a physical basis, from the worship of the sun, ‘glorifier of the earth,’ from ερα κλεος (Symb. Lang. Sec. 130). Lemprière says, however, the name is probably of Oriental origin; and that the Latin Hercules, Hercole, Ercle, is to all appearance a more ancient form than the Greek ‘Ηρακλης; and he refers to Lennep. Etym.the Latin G. 245; Lanzi, Saggio di Ling. Etrusca, 2,206.

Greek (masculine) - Glory of Hera (Juno).

A Greek name, meaning: Of lordly fame.