Charis (name)

Charis (Greek: Χάρις) is a given name derived from a Greek word meaning "grace, kindness, and life." It is a unisex name, overwhelmingly used for men in Greece and overwhelmingly used for women elsewhere in the world.

Charis
Pronunciation/ˈkrɪs/
Origin
Word/nameAncient Greek
Meaning"one of the Graces", "grace" or "kindness"
Other names
Related namesCharissa (English variant), Haris (Greek variant transcription)

In Greek mythology, a Charis is one of the Charites (Greek: Χάριτες) or "Graces", goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility; and in Homer's Iliad, Charis is the wife of Hephaestus.[1] Charis was also known as Cale ("Beauty") or Aglaea ("Splendor").[2]

Charis is also the Spartan name of a Grace.

In the Greek and Hebrew biblical term Charis (χάρις) refers to good will, loving-kindness, favour, in particular to God's merciful grace.[3] It is used over 140 times [4] in the New Testament and is a central concept in the theology developed by St. Augustine of Hippo.[5]

It is used in the descriptive epithet of many plant genera and species.[6] Including; Ammocharis (meaning sand and beauty),[7] Eleocharis (meaning marsh and beauty), Englerocharis, Eucharis (meaning good and beauty), Hydrocharis (meaning water and beauty), Nomocharis, Argostemma phyllocharis (meaning leaf and beauty) and Pimelea ammocharis.

Notable people

See also

  • All pages with titles beginning with Charis
  • All pages with titles containing Charis
  • Charisma
  • Charls

References

  1. Bernhardt, Peter (2008). Gods and goddesses in the garden: Greco-Roman mythology and the scientific names of plants. Rutgers University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-8135-4266-9.
  2. Theoi.com: Kharis Algaia
  3. Arichea, Daniel C. (1978). "Translating "Grace" (Charis) in the New Testament". The Bible Translator. 29 (2): 201–206. doi:10.1177/026009437802900201. S2CID 171579281.
  4. "Charis Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard".
  5. "God's Grace in Augustine's Theology". 6 March 2007.
  6. Gledhill, David (2008). The Names of Plants. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 100. ISBN 9780521866453.
  7. Herbert, William (1821). "An Appendix: Preliminary Treatise (pp. 1–14) and A Treatise &c. (pp. 15–52)". The Botanical Register. Piccadilly, London: James Ridgway and Sherwood, Neely, and Sons. 7.
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