Athena
From Middle English Athena, from Latin Athēna, from Ancient Greek Ἀθηνᾶ (Athēnâ).
Every Athena since 1902 — 53,118 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Athena
Athena is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #109 in 2025 with 2,477 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1902, 53,118 American babies have been named Athena. Its peak came in 2022, when 3,029 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Athena stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Athena year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,477 | #109 |
| 2024 | 2,794 | #90 |
| 2023 | 3,001 | #76 |
| 2022 | 3,029 | #78 |
| 2021 | 2,717 | #98 |
| 2020 | 2,518 | #107 |
| 2019 | 2,726 | #104 |
| 2018 | 2,605 | #117 |
| 2017 | 2,381 | #127 |
| 2016 | 2,178 | #142 |
| 2015 | 2,054 | #157 |
| 2014 | 1,692 | #195 |
| 2013 | 1,462 | #220 |
| 2012 | 1,310 | #246 |
| 2011 | 1,013 | #312 |
| 2010 | 882 | #363 |
| 2009 | 742 | #429 |
| 2008 | 693 | #456 |
| 2007 | 732 | #439 |
| 2006 | 608 | #501 |
| 2005 | 659 | #461 |
| 2004 | 599 | #489 |
| 2003 | 538 | #524 |
| 2002 | 549 | #503 |
| 2001 | 551 | #499 |
| 2000 | 498 | #530 |
| 1995 | 297 | #706 |
| 1990 | 285 | #731 |
| 1985 | 326 | #594 |
| 1980 | 348 | #541 |
| 1975 | 252 | #625 |
| 1970 | 201 | #736 |
| 1965 | 127 | #887 |
| 1960 | 151 | #842 |
| 1955 | 176 | #712 |
| 1950 | 27 | #1,836 |
| 1945 | 17 | #2,070 |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,308 |
| 1935 | 28 | #1,381 |
| 1930 | 47 | #1,072 |
| 1925 | 38 | #1,273 |
| 1920 | 40 | #1,208 |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,576 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Athena
- Athena Karkanis Actor · b. 1981
- Athena Manoukian Singer · b. 1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Athena mean?
From Middle English Athena, from Latin Athēna, from Ancient Greek Ἀθηνᾶ (Athēnâ).
How popular is the name Athena in 2025?
Athena ranked #109 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,477 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Athena?
53,118 babies have been named Athena in the United States since 1902, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Athena most popular?
Athena peaked in 2022, when 3,029 newborns received the name.
Is Athena a boy or girl name?
Athena is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Athena rising or falling?
Athena is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Athena?
Well-known people named Athena include Athena Karkanis (actor), Athena Manoukian (singer).