ɹˈɑːbɚt ˈɛs. pˈiː. bˈiːks hɐz sədʒˈɛstᵻd ɐ pɹˈiːɡɹˈiːk ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪn ʌvðə nˈeɪm, bˈeɪst ɐmˌʌŋ ˈʌðɚ θˈɪŋz ɔnðə kˌoʊɛɡzˈɪstəns ʌv lˈæmdəlˈæmdə ænd lˈæmdə ɪn ˈɛpɪk lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ, wˌɪtʃ mˈeɪ ɐkˈaʊnt fɚɹə pˈælɐɾəlˌaɪzd fˈoʊniːm slˈæʃ lˈaɪ slˈæʃ ɪnðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ.
Robert S. P. Beekes has suggested a Pre-Greek origin of the name, based among other things on the coexistence of -λλ- and -λ- in epic language, which may account for a palatalized phoneme /ly/ in the original language.