A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Parthenia since 1880
Babies named Parthenia per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1923, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Parthenia's real moment was 1886.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 72 |
| 1890s | 79 |
| 1900s | 98 |
| 1910s | 182 |
| 1920s | 198 |
| 1930s | 172 |
| 1940s | 170 |
| 1950s | 184 |
| 1960s | 110 |
| 1970s | 67 |
| 1980s | 16 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 75 |
| 2020s | 30 |
Meaning & origin
Parthenia is a rare Greek-derived name that saw its peak usage in the late 19th century, ranking 8860th in 2025 with an incidence of 1 in 146,115 newborns. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1880 and reached its highest rank in 1886, making it a classic revival candidate from the 1880s. While the name has no recorded top states, its trajectory has been rising since 2010, suggesting a modest but steady resurgence. The name's etymology ties back to the Greek word parthenos (virgin), evoking classical mythology and a sense of Victorian-era charm, despite its uncertain precise meaning.
Parthenia is the feminine form of Parthenios, an ancient Greek name derived from parthenos, meaning 'virgin.' The name appears in Greek mythology as an epithet of the goddess Athena, and it was borne by a sea nymph. It saw limited use in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, particularly in the United States, where it was given to a modest number of girls born in the 1880s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Parth, Thea
Variants: Parthenie, Parthena
Sibling names for Parthenia
Names that share Parthenia's style, for a brother or sister.
