cratylus   

different disguises of colour and smell, although to the physician,
who regards the power of them, they are the same, and he is not put
out by the addition; and in like manner the etymologist is not put out
by the addition or transposition or subtraction of a letter or two, or
indeed by the change of all the letters, for this need not interfere
with the meaning. As was just now said, the names of Hector and
Astyanax have only one letter alike, which is t, and yet they have the
same meaning. And how little in common with the letters of their names
has Archepolis (ruler of the city)- and yet the meaning is the same.
And there are many other names which just mean "king." Again, there
are several names for a general, as, for example, Agis (leader) and
Polemarchus (chief in war) and Eupolemus (good warrior); and others
which denote a physician, as Iatrocles (famous healer) and
Acesimbrotus (curer of mortals); and there are many others which might
be cited, differing in their syllables and letters, but having the
same meaning. Would you not say so?
Her. Yes.
Soc. The same names, then, ought to be assigned to those who follow in
the course of nature?
Her. Yes.
Soc. And what of those who follow out of the course of nature, and are
prodigies? for example, when a good and religious man has an
irreligious son, he ought to bear the name not of his father, but of
the class to which he belongs, just as in the case which was before
supposed of a horse foaling a calf.
Her. Quite true.
Soc. Then the irreligious son of a religious father should be called
irreligious?
Her. Certainly.
Soc. He should not be called Theophilus (beloved of God) or Mnesitheus
(mindful of God), or any of these names: if names are correctly given,
his should have an opposite meaning.
Her. Certainly, Socrates.
Soc. Again, Hermogenes, there is Orestes (the man of the mountains)
who appears to be rightly called; whether chance gave the name, or
perhaps some poet who meant to express the brutality and fierceness
and mountain wildness of his hero's nature.
Her. That is very likely, Socrates.
Soc. And his father's name is also according to nature.
Her. Clearly.
Soc. Yes, for as his name, so also is his nature; Agamemnon (admirable
for remaining) is one who is patient and persevering in the
accomplishment of his resolves, and by his virtue crowns them; and his
continuance at Troy with all the vast army is a proof of that
admirable endurance in him which is signified by the name Agamemnon. I
also think that Atreus is rightly called; for his murder of Chrysippus
and his exceeding cruelty to Thyestes are damaging and destructive to
his reputation- the name is a little altered and disguised so as not
to be intelligible to every one, but to the etymologist there is no
difficulty in seeing the meaning, for whether you think of him as
ateires the stubborn, or as atrestos the fearless, or as ateros the
destructive one, the name is perfectly correct in every point of view.
And I think that Pelops is also named appropriately; for, as the name
implies, he is rightly called Pelops who sees what is near only (o ta
pelas oron).
Her. How so?
Soc. Because, according to the tradition, he had no forethought or
foresight of all the evil which the murder of Myrtilus would entail
upon his whole race in remote ages; he saw only what was at hand and
immediate,- Or in other words, pelas (near), in his eagerness to win
Hippodamia by all means for his bride. Every one would agree that the
name of Tantalus is rightly given and in accordance with nature, if
the traditions about him are true.
Her. And what are the traditions?