Find out how popular the first name Scylla has been for the last 7 years (from 2017 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Scylla by gender

Based on the last 7 years of data, Scylla is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 7 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Scylla.

The history of the first name Scylla

The name Scylla has its origins in Greek mythology, where it was the name of a legendary monster that lived on one side of a narrow channel of water opposite the monster Charybdis. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek word "skyllō", meaning "to tear" or "to rend", referring to the creature's habit of snatching sailors from passing ships.

In Homer's Odyssey, which dates back to around the 8th century BC, Scylla is described as a fearsome creature with twelve feet, six long necks and mouths, each with three rows of sharp teeth. She was said to lurk in a cave on the rocks, from where she would devour sailors who ventured too close.

The earliest known person to bear the name Scylla was a character in Greek mythology herself, appearing in various ancient texts and stories. She was said to be a beautiful Naiad who was transformed into a hideous monster by the jealous sorceress Circe, who had fallen in love with Scylla's lover Glaucus.

Throughout history, the name Scylla has been used sparingly, likely due to its fearsome connotations in Greek mythology. One notable example is Scylla of Scio, a 5th-century BC Greek poet and lyric writer from the island of Chios, who is considered one of the earliest known female poets in ancient literature.

In the 17th century, the name was given to Scylla, a character in the Italian poet Giovanni Battista Marino's epic work "L'Adone" (1623). This Scylla was portrayed as a nymph who was transformed into a monster by the god Neptune after she rejected his advances.

Another notable bearer of the name was Scylla Browne (1891-1967), a British astrologer and occultist who founded the Philosophic Fellowship and published several books on astrology and spiritual subjects.

More recently, the name Scylla has been used occasionally in literature and popular culture, although it remains relatively uncommon as a given name due to its mythological associations.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Scylla was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Scylla, please contact us.

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