Ptolemy (name)


Ptolemy is a name derived from Ancient Greek. Common variants include Ptolemaeus, Tolomeo and Talmai.

Etymology

Ptolemy is the English form of the Ancient Greek name Πτολεμαῖος, a derivative of πτόλεμος, an Epic form of πόλεμος 'war'. A nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus was called Polemaeus, the normal form of the adjective. Ptolemaios is first attested in Homer's Iliad and is the name of an Achaean warrior, son of Piraeus, father of Eurymedon.
The name Ptolemaios varied over the years from its roots in ancient Greece, appearing in different languages in various forms and spellings:
The name Ptolemy spread from its Greek origins to enter other languages in Western Asia during the Hellenisation that followed the conquest of the known world by Alexander the Great.

The Aramaic name Bar Talmai may be related.
Ptolemais is formed from this name by the Greek feminine adjectival ending -is.

Claudius Ptolemaeus

commonly refers to Claudius Ptolemaeus, a writer, geographer, mathematician, astronomer and astrologer who lived in the Alexandrine Greek culture of Roman Egypt.

Early Greek rulers and generals named Ptolemy

The Ptolemaic dynasty, of Macedonian origin, ruled Hellenistic Egypt for nearly 300 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC. The kings of this dynasty, the first of which was Ptolemy I Soter were all named Ptolemy, as were several other members of the dynasty.

Other people named Ptolemy or Ptolemaeus

Born before 20th century