Greece is officially called the Hellenic Republic.
The formal name reflects the country’s Greek-language identity: in Modern Greek, the state is called Elliniki Dimokratia, meaning Hellenic Republic. “Greece,” the familiar English name, comes through Latin Graecia and Graecus, names used by Romans in reference to Greek peoples and communities in southern Italy.
Greeks traditionally call their country Hellas or Ellada rather than “Greece.” The word “Hellenic” connects the modern state with the ancient term Hellenes, the Greek name for Greek people. It appears in official institutions such as the Hellenic Parliament and the Hellenic Armed Forces.
The name has also appeared in several historical forms. Greece was a kingdom from 1832 until 1924, became a republic, restored its monarchy in 1935, and returned to republican rule after the monarchy was abolished in 1973. The present republican era is generally dated from 1974, following the fall of the military junta. “Hellenic Republic” is therefore both a modern constitutional name and a link to older Greek terminology.