When Rosalind disguises herself as a man, she takes on the name Ganymede. The name is a reference to classic Greek mythology, in which Ganymede was Zeus's cup bearer and male lover. Ganymede's beauty attracted the chief god Zeus, who disguised himself as an eagle to spirit the young man away to Mount Olympus. Compensating the boy's father with a gift of horses, Zeus made Ganymede immortal so he could serve him forever.

The name Ganymede associates Rosalind with a certain transgressive quality once she enters the Forest of Arden. She assumes a masculine identity and becomes a mediator between the masculine and feminine worlds, more or less. The name obviously also bears homoerotic undertones, which become manifest when the disguised Rosalind interacts with a clueless Orlando in the woods. Rosalind has Orlando practicing how to woo her through his interactions with her alter ego, a liberty she would not have if he knew she was actually a woman in disguise.

Ultimately, while Rosalind originally chose the name Ganymede for its classical allusions (she calls the mythic Ganymede "Jove's own page" when explaining her decision to Celia), within the context of the narrative, the name is a perfect fit for the way As You Like It explores gender roles.