Everyone is at least somewhat familiar with Greek and Roman mythology, and has heard at least a few myths. But most people don’t know how much it has affected human history, and even our lives today. Some of the most famous brands and teams are named after gods and mythological figures.

Many symbols from Greco-Roman mythology are still utilized today. The staff of Hermes, the caduceus, is seen all around the medical world, often used as a symbol of medicine or healing. The balance or scale symbol used in courts was originally a symbol of Dike, the goddess of justice. Dike herself is often seen in court buildings as a blindfolded statue holding a scale.

Company and brand logos take hours to create, and often have little details representing little things. Some logo details are influenced by Greek mythology, as explained by Design Hill. The ever so popular coffee company Starbucks has an unforgettable logo, but many do not know what it depicts. The logo is of a two tailed siren, beautiful creatures who lured sailors to their deaths using their irresistible voices. This was chosen because of the nearly irresistible craving of coffee. Design Hill also explains that many other brands also associate with certain myths to imply aspects of said myth. The soap company Dove chose its namesake avian as their name and logo, because of doves’ association to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, making people believe that this brand will make them beautiful. NBC is easily recognizable through its logo, the peacock. The peacock was the sacred animal of Hera, and had hundreds of eyes, seeing and reaching everywhere. NBC wanted to convey a similar message as a broadcasting service, aspiring to reach all with knowledge. Other companies even got their names straight from myths. The sports clothing brand Nike is named after the goddess of victory with the same name. The company Amazon has its name origins from the Amazon warriors, a fierce group of female fighters. Another example of this is the Jewelry brand Pandora, named after the myth of Pandora and her box.

Greco-Roman mythology extends out of our world too. One of the most notable examples are the planets in our solar system, most of which are named after Roman gods. Mars is named after the god of war, Venus after the goddess of love, Mercury after the god of messengers, Pluto after the god of the underworld and wealth, Neptune after the god of the sea, and Jupiter after the king of the gods. According to Phys.org, many of Jupiter’s moons are even named after his mistresses, like Europa, Io, and Callisto. But Greco-Roman  mythology doesn’t just affect things outside of this planet.

It’s hard to believe that myths from so long ago can still have such an impact today. While hardly anyone still believes in the gods, goddesses, and myths of ancient Greece and Rome, their legacy continues to live on through representation in the modern world.