Meaning & History
Aristokles is the original Ancient Greek form of the name Aristocles. It is derived from the Greek elements aristos meaning 'best' and kleos meaning 'glory', thus signifying 'the best glory'. This name is historically significant as it was the birth name of the renowned philosopher Plato (c. 428/427 – 348/347 BCE). According to tradition, Plato was originally named Aristokles after his grandfather, but he acquired the nickname 'Plato' (from Greek platys meaning 'broad' or 'broad-shouldered') during his youth, likely due to his robust physique or his broad forehead.
Aristokles appears in ancient sources primarily in biographical accounts of Plato. The 3rd-century CE biographer Diogenes Laërtius, in his Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, records that Plato was named Aristokles at birth. While the name Aristokles itself was relatively common in Classical Greece, Aristokles as Plato's original name gives it unique historical weight. The name embodies the Greek ideal of personal excellence (aretē) and renown, which Plato himself explored extensively in his philosophical works.
As a given name, Aristokles is rare in modern usage, but it surfaces in scholarly contexts and among those with an interest in classical antiquity. It belongs to a family of Greek names formed with -kles, including Heracles, Pericles, and Themistocles, all of which stress fame or glory as a characteristic.
- Meaning: 'best glory' (from Greek aristos + kleos)
- Origin: Ancient Greek
- Type: Given name (masculine)
- Usage regions: Ancient Greece, occasionally in modern classical revival