Girl nameCurrently #90 in the USRising
Athena
uh-THEE-nuh//əˈθiːnə//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20226 lettersStarts with A
Meaning & origin
Greek goddess of wisdom and war
Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, strategy, and warfare, and patron of the city of Athens, which bears her name. Its strong mythological pedigree has made it an increasingly popular choice for parents wanting a name that signals intelligence and strength.
Athena's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Athena |
|---|---|
| 1902 | 5 |
| 1906 | 6 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1912 | 10 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1915 | 22 |
| 1916 | 24 |
| 1917 | 38 |
| 1918 | 35 |
| 1919 | 44 |
| 1920 | 40 |
| 1921 | 37 |
| 1922 | 53 |
| 1923 | 36 |
| 1924 | 51 |
| 1925 | 38 |
| 1926 | 42 |
| 1927 | 39 |
| 1928 | 42 |
| 1929 | 38 |
| 1930 | 47 |
| 1931 | 33 |
| 1932 | 27 |
| 1933 | 31 |
| 1934 | 17 |
| 1935 | 28 |
| 1936 | 17 |
| 1937 | 14 |
| 1938 | 17 |
| 1939 | 14 |
| 1940 | 13 |
| 1941 | 23 |
| 1942 | 22 |
| 1943 | 18 |
| 1944 | 17 |
| 1945 | 17 |
| 1946 | 15 |
| 1947 | 22 |
| 1948 | 30 |
| 1949 | 27 |
| 1950 | 27 |
| 1951 | 28 |
| 1952 | 19 |
| 1953 | 26 |
| 1954 | 45 |
| 1955 | 176 |
| 1956 | 127 |
| 1957 | 111 |
| 1958 | 104 |
| 1959 | 123 |
| 1960 | 151 |
| 1961 | 150 |
| 1962 | 159 |
| 1963 | 128 |
| 1964 | 150 |
| 1965 | 127 |
| 1966 | 135 |
| 1967 | 163 |
| 1968 | 177 |
| 1969 | 176 |
| 1970 | 201 |
| 1971 | 220 |
| 1972 | 228 |
| 1973 | 219 |
| 1974 | 253 |
| 1975 | 252 |
| 1976 | 233 |
| 1977 | 266 |
| 1978 | 271 |
| 1979 | 445 |
| 1980 | 348 |
| 1981 | 323 |
| 1982 | 325 |
| 1983 | 336 |
| 1984 | 326 |
| 1985 | 326 |
| 1986 | 266 |
| 1987 | 203 |
| 1988 | 232 |
| 1989 | 279 |
| 1990 | 285 |
| 1991 | 264 |
| 1992 | 251 |
| 1993 | 270 |
| 1994 | 247 |
| 1995 | 297 |
| 1996 | 317 |
| 1997 | 316 |
| 1998 | 451 |
| 1999 | 493 |
| 2000 | 498 |
| 2001 | 551 |
| 2002 | 549 |
| 2003 | 538 |
| 2004 | 599 |
| 2005 | 659 |
| 2006 | 608 |
| 2007 | 732 |
| 2008 | 693 |
| 2009 | 742 |
| 2010 | 882 |
| 2011 | 1,013 |
| 2012 | 1,310 |
| 2013 | 1,462 |
| 2014 | 1,692 |
| 2015 | 2,052 |
| 2016 | 2,177 |
| 2017 | 2,381 |
| 2018 | 2,604 |
| 2019 | 2,722 |
| 2020 | 2,515 |
| 2021 | 2,716 |
| 2022 | 3,025 |
| 2023 | 2,996 |
| 2024 | 2,788 |
Athena through the decades
- Athena peaked in 2022, when 3,025 babies were named Athena in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Athena has risen 165% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Athena currently ranks #90 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Thea
Variants & spellings
Athina