Giannakou Surname Meaning

The Greek surname Giannakou (Γιαννάκου) is a patronymic surname, meaning it is derived from a familiar or diminutive form of a male ancestor’s given name. The root Giannak- comes from Giannakis, a diminutive of Giannis (Γιάννης), the common Greek form of Ioannis, which originates from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning “God is gracious.” Diminutive forms such as Giannakis were widely used in everyday speech to convey familiarity or affection and later became fixed as hereditary surnames. The suffix -ou is a genitive marker indicating descent or family association. Consequently, the surname Giannakou signifies “of Giannakis” or “the descendant of little Giannis.”