From Greek 'eu' (good) and 'nike' (victory), meaning good victory.
Eunice comes from the Greek name Eunikē, built from eu, meaning “good” or “well,” and nikē, meaning “victory.” The name entered the long tradition of Western naming through the New Testament: Eunice is named as the mother of Timothy, remembered as a woman of faith in early Christian history. Because of that biblical association, the name was embraced in later Christian communities, especially in periods when scriptural names were favored for their moral seriousness and spiritual pedigree.
Over the centuries, Eunice has moved through several distinct social moods. In English-speaking countries it was especially familiar in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when many Greek and biblical names flourished. It could suggest dignity, piety, and education, and it appears in literature and public life often attached to capable, self-possessed women.
In more recent decades, Eunice has become less common, which has changed its feel: where it was once ordinary and respectable, it may now sound vintage, refined, and unexpectedly distinctive. Notable bearers include the American activist Eunice Kennedy Shriver, whose work in disability advocacy and the founding of the Special Olympics gave the name a legacy of public compassion and leadership. That combination of Greek triumph and moral steadiness gives Eunice a quiet but enduring strength.