Charis (name)
{{otheruses|Charis (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox given name
| name =Charis
| image=
| imagesize=
| caption=Grace
| pronunciation= {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|eɪ|r|ɪ|s}}
| meaning = "one of the Graces", "grace" or "kindness"
| region =
| origin = Ancient Greek
| related names = Charissa (English variant), Haris (Greek variant transcription)
| footnotes =
}}
Charis ({{langx|grc|Χάρις}}) is a given name derived from a Greek word meaning "grace, kindness, and life." It is a unisex name, overwhelmingly used for men in Greece and overwhelmingly used for women elsewhere in the world.
In Greek mythology, Charis is one of the Charites ({{langx|el|Χάριτες}}) or "Graces", goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility.
The Greek and Hebrew biblical term Charis (χάρις) refers to good will, loving-kindness, favour, in particular to God's merciful grace.{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1177/026009437802900201|title = Translating "Grace" (Charis) in the New Testament|journal = The Bible Translator|volume = 29|issue = 2|pages = 201–206|year = 1978|last1 = Arichea|first1 = Daniel C.|s2cid = 171579281}} It is used over 140 times{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/charis.html|title = Charis Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard}} in the New Testament and is a central concept in the theology developed by St. Augustine of Hippo.{{Cite web|url=http://julianfreeman.ca/augustine/gods-grace-in-augustines-theology|title = God's Grace in Augustine's Theology|date = 6 March 2007}}
It is used in the descriptive epithet of many plant genera and species. {{cite book | last=Gledhill | first=David | title=The Names of Plants | publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=100 | location=New York, New York | year=2008 | isbn=9780521866453}} Including; Ammocharis (meaning sand and beauty),{{cite journal |last=Herbert |first=William |author-link=William Herbert (botanist) |year=1821 |title=An Appendix: Preliminary Treatise (pp. 1–14) and A Treatise &c. (pp. 15–52) |journal=The Botanical Register |volume=7 |publisher= James Ridgway and Sherwood, Neely, and Sons |location=Piccadilly, London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=llNNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1 }} Eleocharis (meaning marsh and beauty), Englerocharis, Eucharis (meaning good and beauty), Hydrocharis (meaning water and beauty), Nomocharis, Argostemma phyllocharis (meaning leaf and beauty) and Pimelea ammocharis.
Notable people
- Charis Baniotis (born 1960), Greek footballer
- Charis Bekker (born 2004), Australian cricketer
- Charis Charisis (born 1995), Greek footballer
- Charis Eng (born 1962), Singapore-born physician, scientist and geneticist
- Charis Frankenburg (1892–1985), British author
- Charis Galanakis (born 1981), Greek researcher and scientist
- Charis Giannopoulos (born 1989), Greek basketball player
- Charis Grammos (born 1948), Greek footballer
- Charis Johnson (born 1972), Ponzi scheme operator
- Charis Kopitsis (born 1969), Greek footballer and manager
- Charis Kostakis (born 1990), Greek footballer
- Charis Kostopoulos (born 1964), Greek singer, songwriter, poet and composer
- Charis Kubrin, American criminologist
- Charis Markopoulos (born 1982), Greek basketball player and coach
- Charis Michelsen (born 1974), American actress and writer
- Charis Mullen (born 1974), Australian politician
- Charis Nicolaou (born 1974), Cypriot footballer
- Charis Papageorgiou (born 1953), Greek basketball player
- Charis Papazoglou (born 1953), Greek basketball player and coach
- Charis Pavely (born 2004), English cricketer
- Charis Pavlidis (born 1971), Greek water polo player and coach
- Charis Scott (born 2002), Scottish cricketer
- Charis Thompson, professor and author
- Charis Tsevis (born 1967), Greek visual designer, illustrator and art director
- Charis Waddy (1909–2004), Australian-born British author, lecturer and Islamic scholar
- Charis Wilson (1914–2009), American model and writer
- Charis Yulianto (born 1978), Indonesian footballer