In mythology, griffins are typically not given personal names; they are known by the Greek word gryps (plural grypes), which simply means “griffin.” However, a few named griffins appear in later classical and medieval sources, and the creature’s name itself carries a rich history that connects it to specific myths and places.
What Is a Griffin?
The griffin (also spelled griffon or gryphon) is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion, and the head, wings, and front talons of an eagle. In ancient art, it is usually depicted with four legs and a full eagle’s head, though some versions show it with a horse-like mane. The creature is most famous for its role as a guardian of treasure, particularly gold, and for its association with the sun god Apollo and the god Dionysus in Greek mythology.
The earliest known depictions come from ancient Egypt and the Near East, where similar creatures appear on seals and carvings. The Greeks adopted the image and attached it to stories about distant lands, especially the region of Scythia (modern Central Asia) and the mountains of the Hyperboreans, a mythical people who lived far to the north. The historian Herodotus (c. 484–425 BCE) mentioned griffins as real animals that guarded gold in the northern mountains, fighting the one-eyed Arimaspi tribe for it.
Why Do Griffins Rarely Have Personal Names?
Unlike heroes, gods, or even other monsters like Cerberus or the Sphinx, griffins were not central characters in Greek myths. They were more like exotic animals or natural wonders, so they did not need individual names. The Greeks referred to them generically as grypes, and their stories focused on what they did (guarding gold) rather than who they were. This is typical of mythical creatures that serve as obstacles or symbols rather than protagonists.
In later Roman and medieval literature, griffins occasionally appear in allegories and bestiaries, but again, they are usually not named. The bestiary tradition, which described real and mythical animals with moral lessons, treated the griffin as a symbol of Christ or of vigilance, but the individual griffin in a story was just “a griffin.”
Named Griffins in Later Literature
Although ancient myth did not give griffins personal names, a few named examples appear in later works, mostly from the medieval and Renaissance periods. These are not from classical mythology but from literary or folk traditions:
- Gryphon – In Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), the Gryphon is a character who befriends Alice. Carroll’s Gryphon is based loosely on the mythical creature but is not a guardian of treasure; he is a bit lazy and cynical. This is a modern literary use, not a mythological one.
- Gryffon – In some medieval romances, such as the 14th-century Sir Bevis of Hampton, a griffin appears as a monster, but it is not given a specific name; it is simply called “the griffon.”
- Arimaspian griffins – In the Greek poet Aristeas’s lost epic Arimaspea (7th century BCE), griffins are described as guarding gold, but they are not named individually. The name “Arimaspi” refers to the one-eyed people who fought them.
So, in the strict sense of ancient mythology, there are no named griffins. The only “names” you will find are modern inventions or generic terms.
How the Griffin’s Name Evolved
The English word “griffin” comes from the Greek gryps, which may be derived from the Greek verb grypos, meaning “curved” or “hooked,” referring to the eagle’s beak. The Latin form is gryphus, and Old French gave us griffon. The word entered English in the 14th century.
In ancient texts, the spelling and pronunciation varied: gryps in Greek, gryphus in Latin, and later griffon in French. The creature was also associated with the Indian subcontinent in some Greek sources, where it was said to live in the mountains and guard gold. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) wrote that griffins were native to Scythia and that their ears were long and their beaks curved, but he did not name any individual.
Griffins in Art and Heraldry
While griffins may lack personal names, they have a strong presence in art and heraldry, where they are often given symbolic names or titles. In medieval heraldry, a griffin is a common charge (a symbol on a coat of arms). It represents courage, strength, and vigilance, because the lion and eagle were both considered kings of their realms. The heraldic griffin is usually shown with the front half of an eagle and the back half of a lion, and it often has pointed ears and a tuft of feathers on its head.
In heraldry, griffins are sometimes given descriptive names like “griffin segreant” (standing on one leg with the other raised) or “griffin passant” (walking), but these are not personal names; they are technical terms describing the pose. The most famous heraldic griffin is perhaps the one on the coat of arms of the German city of Greifswald, which literally means “griffin forest.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any female griffins in mythology?
Greek sources do not mention male or female griffins; the creature is always referred to in the masculine or neuter. There is no myth of griffin reproduction or a mother griffin. Later bestiaries sometimes called them “gryphons” without gender distinction.
What did griffins guard?
Griffins were said to guard gold and other treasures in the mountains of Scythia and the land of the Hyperboreans. The gold was often associated with the sun god Apollo, and griffins were considered his sacred animals. In some myths, they also guarded the wine of Dionysus.
Did griffins have any special powers?
Griffins were not given magical powers like shape-shifting or invisibility. Their main attributes were their strength, speed, and keen eyesight, which made them ideal guardians. In medieval Christian symbolism, the griffin represented the dual nature of Christ (divine and human), but this was an allegory, not a power.
Are griffins mentioned in the Bible?
No. Griffins are not mentioned in the Bible. Some translations of the Hebrew Bible use “griffin” for the word nesher, which usually means “eagle” or “vulture,” but this is a translation choice, not a mythical reference. The griffin is a pagan creature from Greek and Near Eastern mythology.
What is the difference between a griffin and a hippogriff?
A griffin has the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. A hippogriff has the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a horse. The hippogriff was invented in medieval romance, notably in Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso (1516), and it became famous again in modern fantasy through the Harry Potter series.
Griffins in Modern Culture
Today, griffins appear in fantasy literature, games, and movies, and they are often given names by their creators. For example, in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the character Fawkes is a phoenix, not a griffin, but the Hogwarts house of Gryffindor uses a lion as its symbol, not a griffin. In the video game Final Fantasy, a griffin is a common enemy, but it is not named. In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, griffins are creatures that can be tamed and ridden, but they do not have individual names unless the players choose to give them one.
The lack of personal names in ancient myth does not stop modern creators from naming them, but if you are looking for a traditional mythological name, you will not find one. Instead, you might use a name that evokes the griffin’s traits, such as “Goldwing” or “Aetos” (Greek for eagle), but these are modern inventions.
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