“The History and How to of Komboloi aka Greek Worry Beads“, an article from the Greek Reporter, discusses the history and use of komboloi, Greek worry beads.
The modern Greek word komboloi derives from kombos (knot) and logio (collection) or the verb leo (say). It is said that it is short for the phrase “in every knot I say a prayer“. This etymology accounts for the fact that the komboloi actually evolved from komboskini, the Greek word for prayer rope.