A 1900s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Thena since 1905
Babies named Thena per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2022, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Thena's real moment was 1905.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 6 |
| 1910s | 49 |
| 1920s | 75 |
| 1930s | 13 |
| 1940s | 11 |
| 1950s | 31 |
| 1960s | 17 |
| 1970s | 15 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 57 |
Meaning & origin
Thena is a rare and modern-sounding name that shares its sound with the goddess Athena but has its own separate, sparse history. First recorded in 1905, it was extremely uncommon for decades, but has seen a modest rise in usage since 2020, reaching a rank of 13,208 in 2025 with about 1 in every 267,878 newborn girls given the name. Its peak year remains 1905, which reflects the tiny number of early adopters rather than any historical surge. Despite its ancient flavor, Thena appears to be a 20th-century invention, either a truncation of Athena or a purely phonetic coinage. It has not attracted enough use to generate traditional nicknames or variants. The name's revival in recent years aligns with a broader trend toward concise, vowel-ending names for girls. Thena remains most popular in no single state, according to available data, and its appeal likely lies in its sleek, two-syllable sound and its subtle nod to classical mythology without the weight of a more established name.
Thena appears in U.S. records from the early 20th century, but its sparse usage and absence from traditional name books suggest it is either a creative shortening of Athena or a phonetic invention. There is no established etymological lineage beyond its resemblance to the Greek goddess's name.
Sibling names for Thena
Names that share Thena's style, for a brother or sister.
