About the name Athena
The origin of Athena is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Greek roots, with the meaning “Goddess of wisdom”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Athena we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a modern feel. In 2025, Athena ranked #109 for girls in the US, with 2,477 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2022. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Athena were girls.
- US rank 2025
- #109
- In 2015
- #157
- Babies in 2025
- 2,477
Popularity of Athena, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
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Athena
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The Baby Kit
See Athena on a birth announcement
Birth announcements, shower invitations, nursery wall art and milestone cards, all personalized with Athena. Type your details once and print at home or at any print shop.
Names similar to Athena
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.