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Centaur Girl Names: 100 Names for a Female Centaur With Origins
By Metavulgar · updated 2026-11-13 · 7 min read
Centaur girl names have a tidy source: ancient Greek. The female centaur is called a centauride (plural centaurides), and she is a late and rare figure in the myths. Early Greek art and poetry show centaurs as male; female centaurs seem to appear no earlier than the fifth century BCE and were treated as novelties. That makes any list of names more interesting than it looks, because the real mythological centaurides are few, and the rest of the names come from the Greek language itself. This page keeps the three sources apart: real centaurides, real Greek names with horse meanings, and names I invented from Greek roots.
The few real centaurides
- Hylonome: the best-known. In Ovid's Metamorphoses she is the beautiful centauress who loves the centaur Cyllarus and dies of grief when he is killed. Her name is usually read as "woodland pasture". Ovid may have invented her.
- Ocyrhoe: in Ovid, the daughter of the wise centaur Chiron and a nymph; she has the gift of prophecy and is turned into a mare for revealing too much. Her name means "swift-flowing".
- Hippe (also called Hippo or Melanippe in some versions): another daughter of Chiron, a seer who is also transformed into a horse. The name simply means "mare".
- Chariclo: Chiron's wife, a nymph, not a centauride, but a lovely name.
- Philyra: the nymph who was Chiron's mother, whose name is linked to the linden tree.
These are the only names worth calling genuine mythological centaurides, and even these come from a few sources. Everything else is borrowed.
Real Greek names built on "horse" (hippos)
Ancient Greeks loved horse-names. They signalled wealth and nobility, and many are still names today. Each has a real meaning.
- Hippolyta: "horse loosed" or "horse releaser". Queen of the Amazons.
- Hippodamia: "horse tamer". In myth, the bride at whose wedding the centaurs went wild.
- Philippa: "lover of horses", the feminine of Philip.
- Xanthippe: "yellow horse", the wife of Socrates.
- Melanippe: "black horse".
- Leucippe: "white horse".
- Callippe: "beautiful horse".
- Euippe: "good horse".
- Aristippe: "best horse".
- Alcippe: "mighty horse".
- Lysippe: "horse releaser".
- Hippodameia, Hippothoe ("swift mare"), Hipparete ("horse virtue").
- Phillida and Phyllis are Greek names with other meanings, but suit a pastoral mood.
- Hippia: a simple feminine adjective, "of the horse".
- Ippolita: the Italian form of Hippolyta.
Greek words for wind, field and speed (real vocabulary)
A centaur is wind and meadow made flesh, so these fit.
- Zephyra: from Zephyrus, the west wind.
- Aura: breeze.
- Anemone: "daughter of the wind".
- Notia: from Notus, the south wind.
- Boreale: from Boreas, the north wind.
- Aella: "storm wind", the name of an Amazon and of a harpy.
- Podarge: "swift-footed", a mythological name (also used for a harpy).
- Tachia: "swift".
- Oreia: "of the mountains".
- Pasithea: "goddess of all", a Grace.
- Leimone: "meadow".
- Poa: "grass" in Greek.
- Arete: "excellence".
- Nike: "victory".
- Kallisto: "most beautiful", the name of a nymph.
Noble centauride names (invented and real)
For a queen, a priestess or a herd matriarch.
- Hippara, Chironia, Centaura, Kentaurea: Greek-style forms built from "Chiron" and "kentauros".
- Aethra, Theodora ("gift of god"), Eudora ("good gift"), Alexandra ("defender").
- Cassandra, Penthesilea, Antiope: names of Greek and Amazon women.
- Thalestris, Orithyia: the names of Amazon queens.
- Cyrene: a huntress nymph.
- Atalanta: the swift huntress, a real figure.
- Daphne: "laurel"; a name of a chased nymph.
Wild and free centauride names (invented)
For a plains runner, a herd scout, a bareback archer.
- Galloway, Stridea, Windmane, Thundra, Hoofa, Sprinta: jokey to serious.
- Zephyrine, Tempesta, Arrowyn, Fleetwyn, Skyla.
- Mareya, Stella, Roanne (from a roan horse), Dunya (from "dun").
- Chestnut, Bay, Palomino, Piebald, Sorrel: horse-coat colors used as names.
- Aethyra, Kentaryne, Oreia.
Gentle centauride names
For a kind, nurturing, herbal-healer centaur.
- Chariclo: Chiron's wife, a gentle name.
- Philyra: "linden", Chiron's mother.
- Thea, Hera, Iris, Melia, Meliae.
- Clover, Heather, Sage, Willow, Meadow, Fern.
- Lilia, Calla, Dahlia, Marigold.
Short names (voice-friendly)
Hippe, Nike, Aura, Zeph, Ione, Kyra, Tessa, Dara, Rhea, Nyssa, Pax, Sol, Kai, Bay.
Names for a centaur by her body and coat
Centaur art invites you to name her by her horse half, so here are options for each coat color, with the reason they suit.
- Bay (brown with black mane and tail): Bayleigh, Chestnut, Auburn, Russet, Amber. Warm, earthy, dependable.
- Black: Melanippe ("black horse"), Ebony, Raven, Onyx, Nyx. Dramatic and elegant.
- White or grey: Leucippe ("white horse"), Ivory, Silvia, Argent, Pearl, Dapple. Pale and regal.
- Palomino or gold: Xanthippe ("yellow horse"), Honey, Aurelia, Saffron, Goldie. Sunny and bright.
- Dun and roan: Dunya, Roanne, Slate, Smoke, Dusty. Understated and quick.
- Pinto and piebald: Calico, Patches, Mottle, Magpie. Playful.
Names tied to the centaur's weapons and tools
A centaur archer or lancer has natural names from her craft.
- Toxa: from the Greek toxon, "bow". A real word and a short, sharp name.
- Toxote: "archer".
- Arrowyn, Quiverna, Fletcha: invented.
- Spear forms: Doryne from doru, "spear".
- Bridle and Reins as titles: Reins-of-the-Wind.
Names from the places of centaur myth
- Pelion: Chiron's mountain in Thessaly.
- Thessaly: the region of horsemen.
- Arcadia: pastoral and wild.
- Ossa and Olympus: the mountains of the Titans and of the gods.
- Lapithe: after the Lapiths, the tribe that fought the centaurs at the famous wedding.
Centaurs in other traditions
The centaur is Greek, but a horse-bodied person appears elsewhere. The Indian kimpurusha and the Hindu Ashvamukhi are horse-headed or horse-bodied beings, and in Slavic and Persian art there are horse-human hybrids too. If you use a name from another culture for a centaur, name the culture, and keep the Greek word for the creature itself.
Centaur names by herd role
- The war-leader: Hippolyta, Penthesilea, Thalestris, Alcippe. Names with command in them.
- The healer: Chariclo, Philyra, Hylonome, Eudora. Names with a herbal calm.
- The scout: Tachia, Zephyra, Aella, Podarge. Names that run.
- The storyteller: Ocyrhoe, Hippe, Calliope, Cassandra. Prophetic names with a sad edge.
- The herd-mother: Hera, Rhea, Theodora, Philippa. Steady and warm.
Names that sound right when galloping
Short and bright names are easiest to say at a run, and long ones need a rhythm. Say each of these aloud and clap the beat: Zephyra (zeh-FEE-ra, three beats), Hippolyta (hip-POL-ih-ta, four), Xanthippe (zan-THIP-ee, three), Melanippe (mel-an-IP-ee, four), Podarge (po-DAR-gee, three). The best centaur names have an even, trotting rhythm, a stress on the second syllable and an open ending.
Pronunciation guide
Hylonome is hy-LON-oh-mee. Ocyrhoe is oh-SIR-oh-ee. Hippolyta is hip-POL-ih-tuh. Hippodamia is hip-oh-duh-MY-uh. Xanthippe is zan-THIP-ee. Chariclo is KAR-ih-kloh. Philyra is fih-LY-ruh. Greek names are easy once you stress the syllable that sounds like it wants it.
How to choose
- Decide her herd or her role. A warrior wants a martial name; a healer wants a gentle one.
- Decide how Greek you want her. For authentic, use real horse-names. For a looser fantasy, invent.
- Say it aloud, galloping. If it stumbles, it will stumble in audio.
- Mark your sources. Real centaurides and Greek names are real; invented ones are yours.
For similar lists, see Satyr Girl Names, Minotaur Girl Names, Harpy Names and Monster Girl Names. For the creature, Centaur Girl Meaning and Lore tells her story, and Centaur vs Satyr separates her from the other Greek half-beasts.
About the centaur fantasy
A centaur girl is strength with a human face: a woman who can outrun you, carry you and decide where you go. The fantasy is being carried, kept in step with her and made to feel small in the best way. She is warm, loud, open-air and proud, a counterpoint to the quiet, indoor monsters. As always, every centaur character is an adult, grown and in charge of her own story.
Where she is closest in my library
For big-bodied warmth, Steady: Pinned Down in the Minotaur's Labyrinth is the strongest, and Keep: Curled in the Dragon Girl's Mountain Hoard has the same large, protective presence. If you are new, Start Here is five nights, one monster each, and Monster Girl Bestiary lists the shelf.
One more way to name her: by the pasture she runs
If you want a name no one else has, take it from the land. Greek has many place-words that read as names: Arcadia, the pastoral heartland; Thessalia, the region where centaurs were said to live and the home of the Lapiths; Pelion, the mountain where Chiron's cave stood; Olympia, the plain; Messena, a region; Elis, a plain famous for horses. Add a feminine ending and you have a real-sounding centauride: Pelionne, Thessaly, Arcadie, Elissa.
Frequently asked questions
What is a female centaur called?
A female centaur is called a centauride, plural centaurides. In Greek art and myth female centaurs appear later and more rarely than male ones, and the best-known is Hylonome in Ovid's Metamorphoses.
What are good centaur girl names?
Hylonome, Ocyrhoe and Hippe are real mythological centaurides. Hippolyta, Xanthippe, Melanippe and Philippa are real Greek names built on the word for horse. Zephyra and Windmane suit a free-running character.
Who was Hylonome?
Hylonome is the most famous centauress, a beautiful centauride in Ovid's Metamorphoses who loved the centaur Cyllarus and died when he was killed. Her name is usually taken to mean woodland pasture.
What does Hippolyta mean?
Hippolyta means horse loosed or horse releaser in Greek. She was a queen of the Amazons, and the name works well for a centaur because it is built on hippos, the Greek word for horse.
Can I use Chiron's family names for a centaur?
Yes. Ocyrhoe, Hippe, Chariclo and Philyra are real figures from Chiron's family in Greek myth. Mention that they are borrowed if you share the character.
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