Their names fill planets, brands, superheroes, novels, films and games. Spotting the original story makes modern references much more fun, like discovering a secret message hiding in plain sight.
Fun fact: Nike, Amazon and Pandora all use names linked with Greek mythology.
Science
Ancient myths in modern discoveries
Mythology is hidden all over science. The planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are named after Roman gods, while many moons have names from Greek stories. Even the moons of Mars are called Phobos and Deimos — Fear and Terror! Elements have mythical names too. Promethium comes from Prometheus, titanium from the Titans, thorium from Thor and vanadium from Vanadis, another name for the Norse goddess Freyja. Doctors still use the Rod of Asclepius, a snake wrapped around a staff, as a symbol of medicine.
Brands
Mythical names on modern things
Lots of companies borrow names from mythology because they sound powerful, speedy or unforgettable. Nike is named after the Greek goddess of victory, while Amazon takes its name from the legendary female warriors. Pandora, Midas, Hermes and Trident all come from Greek myths too. The car company Saturn uses the name of a Roman god, and the sports brand ASICS has used Pegasus, the famous winged horse, in its designs. Even Bluetooth is named after Harald Bluetooth, a Viking king who united parts of Denmark and Norway.
Media
Ancient stories with a modern twist
The old myths are still inspiring new adventures. Percy Jackson brings Greek gods and monsters into the modern world, while Marvel films turn Thor, Loki and other Norse characters into superheroes and villains. Games such as God of War, Hades and Assassin’s Creed Origins let players explore worlds shaped by Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology. You can also find the myths in books, films and comics, including The Kane Chronicles, The Song of Achilles, Moon Knight and The Mummy. Ancient stories clearly aren’t ready to retire!
Language
Mythology hiding in our words
We use words from mythology without even noticing. An echo is named after a Greek nymph who could only repeat other people’s words. A panic was once believed to be the sudden fear caused by the god Pan, while a narcissist is named after Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. Atlas gave his name to collections of maps, and an enormous task can be called Herculean. Mythology is also hiding in our calendar: Thursday comes from Thor, Saturday from Saturn, January from Janus, March from Mars and June from Juno.
Meet Jocelyn
The curious mind behind Mythfits Society
Hi! I’m Jocelyn, and I created Mythfits Society to make discovering ancient myths easier, more interesting and much more fun.
