Holding steady.
Popularity of Althia since 1912
Babies named Althia per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1945, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Althia's real moment was 1915.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 40 |
| 1920s | 38 |
| 1930s | 6 |
| 1940s | 29 |
| 1950s | 52 |
| 1960s | 38 |
| 1970s | 12 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Althia is a rare feminine name with Greek connections, first recorded in the United States in 1912. Its peak usage occurred early on: in 1915 it reached its highest count, though it never entered the top 1,000 names. According to Social Security data, the name has remained consistently infrequent over subsequent decades, with no recorded births in many recent years. The trajectory is described as stable, reflecting a very low but persistent level of use. Althia's origins are linked to the Greek word for 'healer,' making it a meaningful choice for parents drawn to classical names outside the mainstream. Its spelling variant Althea is somewhat better known, but Althia retains a distinctive, old-fashioned charm.
Althia is a name of uncertain origin, though it is commonly connected to the Greek word althein, meaning 'to heal,' which also gives us the name Althea. A minor figure in Greek mythology, Althia (or Althea) appears in the story of Meleager, where she is the mother who unwittingly causes his death. The name was adopted in the English-speaking world during the 17th century, particularly after the poet Richard Lovelace used Althea in his famous poem 'To Althea, from Prison' (1642). It remained in modest use through the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Allie, Thea
Variants: Althea
Sibling names for Althia
Names that share Althia's style, for a brother or sister.
