In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Juliet famously asks: "What's in a name?" Her answer — that names are merely arbitrary labels, with no bearing on the true nature of a person or thing — is poetic. But in our case, she couldn't be more wrong.
Our website address carries the name Melikos, while all official communications come from Melikos™ (by "Ellinon Kosmima"). Two names. One brand. And neither is arbitrary.
Both are authentic Ancient Greek words — and both carry meaning that runs deeper than any label.
Melikos — The Brand
www.melikos.com takes its name from the Ancient Greek word μελικος — a term that fell out of common use around the 3rd century BC. It was a synonym for "lyrical" (λυρικος), meaning melodic. Since "lyrical" is tied to the Ancient Greek lyre (λυρα), the lyre became the natural symbol of our business.
It was the poetess Sappho who first introduced "μελικη ποιηση" (Meliki poetry) on the Greek island of Lesvos, around 800 BC — the same island that happens to be the ancestral home of the founder of Ellinon Kosmima.
How to pronounce "Melikos":
- "Me" sounds like the "Me" in Mary
- "li" sounds like Lee
- As a Greek adjective, the accent falls on "kos" — though English speakers often find it easier to stress the first syllable.
Ellinon Kosmima — The Business
Our official business name is "Ellinon Kosmima: Jewelry of the Greeks." The first two words are the English transliteration of Ελληνων Κοσμημα. "Hellenes" is the Greek word for Greeks (Ελληνες), and Greece is officially the Hellenic Republic. Κοσμημα refers to any piece of adornment — personal or otherwise.
How to pronounce "Ellinon":
- "E" sounds like the "E" in Mary
- "lli" sounds like Lee
- The accent falls on the second syllable
How to pronounce "Kosmima":
- "Kos" sounds like Kosmos
- "mi" sounds like me
- The accent falls on the first syllable
The phrase Ελληνων Κοσμημα uses Ancient Greek syntax, rather than the modern form Ελληνικο Κοσμημα. It's a deliberate choice — because the ancient construction is richer. It simultaneously captures three ideas: jewelry of the Greeks, for the Greeks, and by the Greeks. Owned by Hellenes. Made by Hellenes. Meant to be worn by Hellenes.
A Happy Coincidence
When searching for a memorable name after transitioning from "Maria's Jewelry" — one that hadn't already been claimed — we constructed what we thought was our own invented composite. A derivative of our business name:
- Melikos — for Maria, the founder of the business
- Melikos — for Ellinon Kosmima
- Melikos — for Ellinon Kosmima
It was only after securing www.melikos.com that we discovered the word μελικος is entirely real — documented in scholarly Ancient Greek dictionaries, yet virtually unknown to modern Greeks.
So no — these are anything but arbitrary names. They are authentically Hellenic, layered with history, and perfectly suited to what we do: curate genuine Greek jewelry for those who understand and appreciate the culture it comes from.