Diodorus

Diodorus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Διόδωρος (Diodoros), meaning "gift of Zeus." It is composed of the elements Διός (Dios), meaning "of Zeus," and δῶρον (doron), meaning "gift." The name is of Ancient Greek origin and is masculine in gender.

Etymology

The prefix Dio- is derived from the genitive form of Ζεύς (Zeus), the supreme god in Greek mythology. The suffix -doros comes from δῶρον (doron), a common element in Greek names meaning "gift." Thus, Diodorus literally means "given by Zeus" or "gift of Zeus." This naming pattern is similar to other Greek names such as Diodotos and Theodoros ("gift of god").

Notable Bearers

Diodorus was the name of a 1st-century BC Greek historian, Diodorus Siculus (or Diodorus of Sicily). According to his own work, Bibliotheca historica, he was born in Agyrium (modern-day Agira, Sicily). He wrote a monumental universal history in Greek, originally forty books (fifteen survive), covering events from mythological times to about 60 BC, arranged in three parts: the mythological history of the world up to the Trojan War, the period from the Trojan War to the death of Alexander the Great, and the period up to the start of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. The title Bibliotheca historica ("historical library") signifies Diodorus's reliance on earlier authors, compiling and condensing their works.

Variant Forms

Closely related forms include the original Greek Diodoros, the Latinized Diodorus, and the French Diodore.

• Meaning: "Gift of Zeus"
• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Type: First name
• Usage: Ancient Greek