How European Startups Are Naming Themselves After Myths, Legends, and Sci-Fi

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-22

Choosing a startup name is tough. It needs to be memorable, available as a domain, and distinctive enough to survive an investor's overflowing inbox. So it's no surprise founders are turning to famous fiction like Dune, Star Wars, and The Matrix for inspiration. The most famous example is Palantir, named after the all-seeing stones in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. That's a fitting choice for a company built around making sense of vast amounts of data. We're seeing an increasing number of European startups whose names come from gods, guardians, legendary weapons, digital worlds, and even a desert planet crawling with enormous sandworms. Here are 10 that have escaped from fiction, folklore, and mythology. ### Ariadne Maps (Garching, Germany) - Greek Mythology Founded in 2019 by Georgios Pipelidis and Nikos Tsiamitros, Ariadne Maps develops location analytics technology for indoor and outdoor spaces. Based in Garching near Munich, the startup helps retailers, transport operators, and venue managers understand how visitors move through physical environments. It does this without requiring dedicated apps or tracking hardware on users' phones. The name comes directly from Ariadne in Greek mythology. After Theseus entered the labyrinth to kill the Minotaur, Ariadne gave him a thread that let him retrace his route and escape. The company describes its location intelligence as a similar guiding thread through complex physical spaces. This might be one of the neatest examples: a mapping company named after the woman who solved antiquity's most notorious navigation problem. ### Arondite (London, UK) - King Arthur Founded in 2023, Arondite builds software and AI systems for defense and national security organizations. The London-based startup raised more than $11.5 million in Seed funding in May 2025, following an earlier $2.1 million pre-Seed investment from Concept Ventures and Creator Fund. Co-founder and CEO Will Blyth previously served in the British Army and worked at Palantir and Helsing. Co-founder and CTO Rob Underhill brought experience from BAE Systems and cybersecurity company Garrison. Arondite hasn't publicly confirmed a medieval naming story, but its spelling is extremely close to Arondight, the sword traditionally associated with Sir Lancelot. A legendary weapon belonging to one of the Knights of the Round Table feels like a suspiciously appropriate reference for a DefenseTech startup. ### Arrakis (London, UK) - Dune Arrakis is emerging from stealth after raising $36 million in just over three months. The company was founded by former Accel investor Rafael Quintanilla alongside a team with experience at Palantir, Revolut, Delivery Hero, Datadog, and ASML. Arrakis develops AI agents for mission-critical industrial operations, targeting sectors including energy, aerospace, logistics, and manufacturing. The name is an unmistakable nod to Arrakis, the desert planet at the heart of Frank Herbert's Dune. Also known as Dune, the planet is the only natural source of spice, the substance upon which the fictional universe's economy, politics, and interstellar travel depend. For a company entering the high-stakes world of industrial infrastructure, it's a suitably dramatic choice. ### Babbel (Berlin, Germany) - The Bible Founded in Berlin in 2007 by Thomas Holl, Markus Witte, Lorenz Heine, and Toine Diepstraten, Babbel is one of Europe's best-known language-learning companies. It offers a subscription-based platform with structured lessons, podcasts, vocabulary practice, and interactive speaking exercises. The name references the Tower of Babel from the Bible's Book of Genesis, where humanity's unified language was scrambled into many different tongues. For a company that helps people communicate across languages, it's a clever twist on an ancient story. > "A great name tells a story before you've even explained what your company does." - Anonymous startup founder ### The Power of Mythic Names Why do so many startups turn to fiction and folklore? A strong name instantly creates a narrative. It signals ambition, hints at your mission, and makes you memorable. Whether you're guiding people through physical spaces like Ariadne or building defense systems like Arondite, a mythic name gives you a story to tell. - **Memorability**: Mythic names stick in people's minds - **Distinctiveness**: They stand out in crowded markets - **Story potential**: They give you a built-in narrative - **Aspiration**: They signal big ambitions ### What This Means for Founders If you're naming your startup, consider drawing from stories that resonate with your mission. But be careful: 1. Check trademark availability before falling in love with a name 2. Make sure the domain is available 3. Ensure the reference isn't too obscure or too obvious 4. Test how the name sounds in different languages A great name won't make your startup succeed on its own, but it can help you get noticed, remembered, and funded. And sometimes, that's exactly the magic you need.