Athena
MeaningGreek goddess of wisdom · Greek
- US rank
- #109
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #76 in 2023
2,477 babies were named Athena in the US in 2025. It has dropped 2 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1902–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Athena you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Athena
Athena Manoukian
Greek singer
Choose Athena and your child shares a first name with Athena Manoukian, a Greek singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Athena, like who?” Athena Manoukian's Wikipedia article is available in 31 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Athena Manoukian on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 649 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Athena, 2,477 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Athena would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryAthena first shows up in US birth records in 1902, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 123 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2023, when it reached #76.
- Then vs nowAthena is 5.6× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 3,647 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 649.
- Where it's lovedAthena is most popular in Alaska, where it ranks #18, followed by New Mexico (#41) and Nevada (#64). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Greek, Athena means “Greek goddess of wisdom”.
About the name Athena
Athena is a girl name meaning “Greek goddess of wisdom”. It has 6 letters and 3 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-ena”. US birth records list Athena for girls from 1902 to 2025, in 116 of those 124 years. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked #76 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #109, with 2,477 babies.
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 7.1 | 141,593 girls |
| 1910s | 18 | 55,371 girls |
| 1920s | 35 | 28,752 girls |
| 1930s | 23 | 43,573 girls |
| 1940s | 14 | 71,327 girls |
| 1950s | 40 | 25,088 girls |
| 1960s | 84 | 11,923 girls |
| 1970s | 168 | 5,955 girls |
| 1980s | 173 | 5,771 girls |
| 1990s | 178 | 5,622 girls |
| 2000s | 333 | 3,000 girls |
| 2010s | 1,051 | 951 girls |
| 2020s | 1,699 | 588 girls |
Questions about the name Athena
What does the name Athena mean?
Athena means “Greek goddess of wisdom” in Greek.
Is Athena a boy or girl name?
Athena is a girl name.
How popular is the name Athena?
Athena ranked #109 for US girls in 2025, given to 2,477 babies. Its best year was 2023 (#76).