Odysseus

Odysseus is the Greek hero whose journey home forms the central story of Homer’s Odyssey. The poem connects his name with a word for anger or hatred, but the name’s actual origin is uncertain and may be older than that literary explanation. It is therefore more accurate to describe the wrathful meaning as a possible association than as a settled translation.

In the epic, Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, and father of Telemachus. His long return from the Trojan War brings encounters with the Cyclops, Circe, and the Sirens, making resourcefulness and homecoming major themes of his story. Ulysses is the related Latin form familiar in English. Parents choosing Odysseus inherit a specific literary character and a rich storytelling tradition, with Odie available as a shorter everyday form.