| Mythology is everywhere!
There are hundreds of companies, groups and corporations that
take their name, logo or theme from ancient mythology. I've
provided a variety of examples to help you in
starting your research. Some are well-known international
companies, others are of a more local nature.
Aegis - Zeus and Athena's
protective shield; modern group of insurance companies (The Aegis
Group). Ajax - Greek
warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in battle;
popular household cleanser. Amazon - Race
of warrior women; amazon.com
- huge on-line bookstore. Apollo
- God of music; Apollo
Theater is a famous music hall in New York city. Ares
- Greek god of war; popular car model. Argus
- Giant watchman with a hundred eyes; Argus Security is a modern
security company, specializing in commercial business protection. Atlas
- Was doomed to support the heavens on his shoulders; a modern
moving company (Atlas Van Lines); also, Atlas Travel is a popular
name for travel agencies all over the globe. Aurora
- Roman name for Eos, goddess of the Dawn; luxury car model. Charon
- Boatman who ferries the souls of the dead to the Underworld;
www.charon.com, a company "offering solutions for a connected
world." Delphi -
Sanctuary to Apollo and home to his famous Oracles; Delphi Forums (www.delphi.com)
is an on-line meeting place to promote discussions and to find
answers. Delphi is also the name of an international Automotive
Group. Hercules -
Roman name for Heracles, the greatest Greek hero; the company called
Hercules - http://www.hercules.com
- makes a top-selling video graphics card (their slogan is Legendary
Strength, Quality and Performance);
there is also the Hercules transport plane, used by the United
States Air Force to carry large volumes of war material and food;
Hercules Incorporated - http://www.herc.com
- is a maker of chemicals and allied products. Hermes
- Olympian Herald and Messenger god; popular brand of soap. Also,
the FTD flower delivery company incorporates Hermes and his winged
heels in their logo. Hyperion
- Titan whose name means "he who goes before the sun"; a
company (www.hyperion.com) that specializes in "business
analysis software." Also the name of a book publishing company. Hydra
- Sea serpent with nine heads, killed by Hercules; It's the chosen
name (www.hydra.com) of the Internet Chess Club. Juno
- Roman name for Hera, wife of Zeus; Juno is a popular web-hosting
company (www.juno.com), specializing in free web pages and custom e-mail. Mars
- Roman name for Ares, god of War; name of popular candy bar. Medusa
- Terrible monster whose glance would petrify you, killed by the
hero Perseus; Medusa Cement Company sells cement products worldwide. Mercury
- Roman name for Hermes, the Messenger god; name of car model
produced by the Ford Motor Company; also, an entertainment records
label, Mercury Records. Midas
- King with the golden touch, who transformed all he touched to
gold; a famous muffler and brake chain of service stations. Minerva
- Roman name for Athena, who gifted the olive tree to humans;
Minerva Oil Company is an international exporter of fine food products. Nike - Winged
goddess of Victory, who can run and fly at great speeds; a famous
company that sells...well...if you haven't heard of the company
Nike, welcome to our planet...:) Odyssey
- The 10-year sea voyage endured by the Trojan War hero, Odysseus,
as he sought to return home to Ithica; Odyssey Travel is a
well-known travel agency; Odyssey Cruise Lines is a cruise company;
Odyssey Records is a record company; there's even an Odyssey Golf
Club company...you get the drift, Odyssey is a very popular modern
mythological rip-off... Olympus
- Home of the Olympian gods; name of popular camera and photographic
technology company. Also, Olympic Airlines is another variation of
the name. (Note: Thanasi's Olympus Greek
Restaurant is owned by the Myth Man...) Orion
- A giant hunter slain by Artemis in Greek mythology; a motion picture production company,
Orion Pictures. Pandora
- The first woman in Greek mythology, whose name means
"all-gifted"; Pandora's Gift Boutique sells quality gift
merchandise. Parthenon -
The temple of Athena, built on the Acropolis of Athens; perhaps the
most-used name for any Greek restaurant in any city of the world!
It's ridiculous...I bet there's a Parthenon Restaurant in your town!
:) Pegasus - Winged
horse that was born from Medusa's head when she was killed; Pegasus
Expedite Company is a national delivery/courier service; Pegasus
Satellite Systems is a provider of satellite entertainment services.
The winged
horse motif is used by dozens of companies. Check out my Pegasus
Homework Help page for more on that. Phoenix
- A mythical and one-of-a-kind bird that burns on a funeral pyre
after a life of hundreds of years, only to be re-born from the
ashes; also the name of a national photographic technology company. Poseidon
- God of the Sea and brother of Zeus; Poseidon Travel is a common
travel agency name; Poseidon Seafood is a national brand of seafood
products. Neptune, the Roman version, is often also used by
companies, as in Neptune Fresh Lobster Co. Saturn -
Roman name for Cronus, father of Zeus; also the name of the Saturn
Automobile Corporation. Titans
- Race of gods preceding the Olympians; Titan Tool & Die Company
manufactures tools for industry. Trident
- The three-pronged spear of Poseidon, god of the seas; Trident Gum
is a popular gum. (Note: 'Tria' is Greek for 'three' and 'donti'
means 'tooth'; hence, Trident translates literally as 'three-teeth',
or 'triple-toothed'. Trident Gum, if one is to believe the
advertising, helps to clean your teeth, thus the allusion.) Spartan
- Greek warrior state, devoted to discipline and the martial arts;
Spartan Corporation is a financial advisory company; also, Spartan
Tool & Die is a national manufacturer and supplier to the auto
industry; Spartan Nutritional Products is a maker and distributor of
health supplements. Trojan
- Inhabitants of the mighty city that was destroyed by the Greeks during the Trojan
War, after a siege of ten years; international manufacturer of condoms and birth control
products. Venus - Roman
for Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love; Venus is the name of a
famous beauty product company; Venus International is a popular
beauty talent agency; Venus Tan Lines is a swimsuit manufacturer;
Venus Razor is a popular women's shaving accessory; Venus Beauty Salon is found in most any city
or town... Vulcan -
Roman name for Hephaestus, god of the smiths and the forge; Vulcan
Industries is an international manufacturer of steel products. These
are but a few of the examples of companies or groups that take their
name, logo or theme from mythology. I bet you'll find a ton more if
you were to look through the Yellow Pages in your local phone book.
If you'd like to suggest any others, please feel free to drop me an
e-card or an e-mail. 
even
video games!
[back
to modern allusions] [homework
help]
|