Declining since 2021, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Athens since 2006
Babies named Athens per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0 | 28 |
| 2010s | 24 | 69 |
| 2020s | 31 | 66 |
Meaning & origin
Athens entered the U.S. baby name charts in 2006, a relative newcomer among place-name choices. It reached its peak rank of 8,243 in 2018, with 1 in 189,786 newborns receiving the name that year. Since 2021, however, its trajectory has been falling, reflecting a slight wane in the trend of city-inspired names. The name draws on the ancient Greek capital, evoking classical history and culture rather than a personal meaning. While not yet common in any state's top lists, Athens remains a distinctive option for parents seeking a name with scholarly and geographic resonance.
The name Athens is the English name for the capital city of Greece, which itself comes from Ancient Greek Ἀθῆναι (Athēnai), the plural form of Ἀθήνη (Athēnē), the name of the goddess Athena. The city's name is of pre-Greek origin, likely from a non-Indo-European substrate language. Athens has been used as a given name in the United States since 2006, reflecting a modern trend of place names as personal names.
Sibling names for Athens
Names that share Athens's style, for a brother or sister.
