The term “Greek” is an exonym while the term “Hellenic” and its other forms are endonyms. “Greek” is something foreigners use to describe us, but we call ourselves “Hellenes” (or “Ellines” in Greeklish). Our country is known in English as Greece but officially it’s the “Hellenic Republic” and when we compete in sports our shirt writes “Hellas”. This confusion between Greek and Hellenic comes from the name the Romans used for the Hellenes.
Greek
The term “Greece” comes from the Latin word Graecus (Graeci), which is derived from the Ancient Greek word Γραικός. It was an early Hellenic tribe that took their name from Graikos, the son of Zeus and Pandora II. This tribe then migrated to southern Italy (Magna Graecia). The great philosopher Aristotle was the first to use the term Graeci (Γραικοί) in 350BC, in his work Meteorology (or Meteorologica) when referring to Hellenes he mentioned:
The deluge in the time of Deucalion took place mainly in the Greek world, especially in ancient Hellas, the country around Dodona, and the Achelous, a river that has often changed its course. Here, the Selli dwelt, and those who were formerly called Graeci and now Hellenes.
Hellenism
When most English speakers say “Greek” today, they mean the people and culture associated with the modern nation-state of Greece. “Hellenism”, however, is something bigger. From ancient times, the language, culture, and values of the Hellenes have significantly impacted the world. Throughout history, non-Hellenic people have adopted and assimilated the values and aesthetics of the Hellenes. Through this contact, the culture of the Hellenes has not only transformed other cultures but has transformed itself. This relationship is Hellenism. An openness to new ideas and embracing beauty and truth wherever you find it are fundamental features of Hellenism. In short, Hellenism is rooted in the history of the Greek people, but it is bigger than Greek culture. It is part of humanity’s shared heritage.
Hellen, Macedon, Junan
According to Hesiod’s poem Theogony, written in ~700 BC, Graikos had three brothers. One of his brothers was named Hellen (Έλλην), the source of the adjective “Hellenic”. Another brother was named Macedon (Μακεδνός) becoming the name of the kingdom of Macedonia. This is confirmed in Strabo’s work, dating back to the first century BC. He states “What is now called Macedonia was in earlier times called Imathia. And it took its present name from Macedon, one of its early chieftains.” (Strabo, Book 7, fr. 11)
Similarly, the people of Asia called the Hellens after the first Hellenic tribe they met, the Ionians. So, we get to be called in Asia as "Junan" or something similar. This isn’t unique in the case of Greece though as there are many countries and many ethnic groups that have exonyms and endonyms. So, at different points in time, the words Graeci/Greek and Graecia/Greece were applied to all of the Hellenic people, in multiple different languages.
Last, there is of course a Greek word from Greek “Γραικός” and it’s known since antiquity though it was seldomly used in Greece. Today it’s generally not liked by Greeks and especially when used by foreigners could be considered offensive like the n-word when used by Caucasians.
- The most commonly used word for “Greece” by country