The word 'Bacchae' is the more popular
Latin word for the followers of
Dionysus. In Greek they are named 'Bakkhae', which is the feminine plural of 'bakkhos', meaning follower of or
possessed by Dionysus. There are many variations of the word 'Bacchae', both
Greek (using 'k') and Latin (using 'c'), for example:
Bacchante
Bacchant (male)
Bachanals
Bacchanals
Bakchai
Bakkhai
Other names include '
Thyiades' or 'inspired ones' and 'Maenads', from which is derived the English word '
mania'.
It should be noted that Theban followers of Dionysus were known as Maenads rather than Bacchae, and were more violent than the god's Lydian, Asian and African non-possessed followers - though the word 'Bacchae' refers generally to all of Dionysus' female devotees.
There are also Slavonic myths from the sixteenth century about the Bacchae. However, these women were blood-drinkers capable of changing form and are not associated with Euripides' earlier tale.