Rising since 1988, #109 for girls today.
Popularity of Athena since 1902
Babies named Athena per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 17 |
| 1910s | 183 |
| 1920s | 416 |
| 1930s | 245 |
| 1940s | 203 |
| 1950s | 786 |
| 1960s | 1,517 |
| 1970s | 2,588 |
| 1980s | 2,964 |
| 1990s | 3,191 |
| 2000s | 6,169 |
| 2010s | 18,303 |
| 2020s | 16,536 |
Meaning & origin
Athena has seen a remarkable rise in popularity since the late 1980s. In 1988, it began a consistent upward trajectory that has continued into the 2020s. The name reached its peak rank of 109 in 2023, with about 1 in 649 baby girls receiving the name that year. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1902 but remained relatively uncommon for much of the 20th century. Athena is particularly favored in Alaska, Wyoming, and New Mexico, according to recent data. The name's strong classical roots and association with the goddess of wisdom give it an enduring appeal that shows no signs of waning.
Athena is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. Her name is probably of Pre-Greek origin, possibly from the root 'ath-' meaning 'sharp' or 'piercing'. She was the patron goddess of Athens, which was named after her. The name has been in use as a personal name since classical times and gained popularity in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Where Athena is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Athena” around the world
Where Athena lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
340
babies in 2024
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#93
in 2025
Quebec
#84
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Thena, Tina, Athi
Sibling names for Athena
Names that share Athena's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Hazel, Iris, Elena, Aurora, Sophia, Calliope, Danae, Journee, Minerva, Ariadne, Artemis, Eris, Olympia, Pandora, Persephone, Xena, Zenaida, Aphrodite, Hera, Odyssey, Ionia, Thena, Callisto, Cybele, Hebe, Hypatia, Nemesis, Phoenicia, Thetis
Brothers: Orion, Apollo, Leo, Felix, Julian, Adonis, Ares, Hector, Homer, Leonidas, Nestor, Perseus, Solon, Theron, Titan, Ulysses, Zenon, Arion, Demetris, Eros, Evander, Hercules, Ladon, Zeus, Ajax, Daimon, Hermes, Kairos, Kalon, Theseus, Ulysee, Ulysess, Apollos, Apolo, Archimedes, Argus, Aristotle, Cyprus, Euclid, Hades, Hymen, Khaos, Kratos, Mercury, Nike, Odysseus, Orestes, Plato, Poseidon, Ulysees, Ulyses, Xerxes, Andros, Artimus, Chaos, Chiron, Damascus, Demetres, Diogenes, Hektor, Janus, Kharon, Leto, Platon, Prometheus, Savalas, Socrates, Ulyess
Names like Athena
Names whose popularity has moved with Athena's over the last 50 years.
