In Greek mythology, Atalanta was the daughter of a king. She was an excellent hunter, and pledged her virginity to the goddess Artemis. When her father wanted her to get married, she said she would only marry a man who could beat her in a foot race. Losers would be put to death. One guy, Hippomenes, finally beat her in a race, but only with divine cheating.The city of Atlanta, in Georgia, was originally named Atlantica-Pacifica after the cross-country rail line that terminated there. The name was shortened to Atlanta. In this sense, the city was named after the Atlantic Ocean, which in turn was named for the Greek mythological character Atlas.