Total births
53,118
Girls' name · since 1902
Athena
Since 1902, U.S. Social Security records show 53,118 babies named Athena, peaking in 2022. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #90
- among girls today
- 53,118
- born since 1902
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other girls
Athena currently ranks #90 among girls' names in America, with 53,118 babies recorded since 1902.
Athena has 53,118 recorded births among girls since 1902, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #90 as of the latest data, more common than 99.5% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1902 to 2025.
- #90 among girls today
- 53,118 born since 1902
- 2010s peak decade
- 99.5% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Athena is currently the #90 girls' name in America, more common than 99.5% of girls - 53,118 born since 1902, peaking in the 2010s.
- #90
- among girls today
- 53,118
- born since 1902
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other girls
Athena vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#90
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 99.5% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Athena was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
3,029 babies were named Athena in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Athena compares
53,118 Top 3% higher than 97% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Athena's all-time total is 139x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Athena | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 53,118 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 3,029 | 48 | 19,840 |
Athena's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Athena splits its recorded history at 1968: 94% of all births land in the more recent half, 6% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1902 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2022 peak of 3,029 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Athena at a glance
Top 100 girls' namePeak year
2022
Current rank
#90
Active since
1902
Athena popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1902–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 3,029
- Annual births at peak, across 124 years of records
Athena by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Athena's strongest decade.
18,303 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Athena births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s 183
1910s
183 births
- 1920s 416
1920s
416 births
- 1930s 245
1930s
245 births
- 1940s 203
1940s
203 births
- 1950s 786
1950s
786 births
- 1960s 1,517
1960s
1,517 births
- 1970s 2,588
1970s
2,588 births
- 1980s 2,964
1980s
2,964 births
- 1990s 3,191
1990s
3,191 births
- 2000s 6,169
2000s
6,169 births
- 2010s
2010s
18,303 births
- 2020s
2020s
16,536 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 18,303 births (34% of all-time use).
How Athena compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Athena's total volume
Athena vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Athena by state
Where Athena concentrates geographically, total births since 1902
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 10,170 | 19.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 4,776 | 9.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 3,507 | 6.6% |
| #4 | Florida | | 2,841 | 5.3% |
| #5 | Arizona | | 1,678 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 1,677 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 1,644 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 1,636 | 3.1% |
California share of Athena's total US births 19.1%
Even split
10,170 of 53,118 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Athena appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Athena? ▼
Since 1902, Social Security records show 53,118 babies named Athena. Today it holds rank #90 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2022, with 3,029 births.
When was Athena most popular? ▼
Athena was most popular in the 2010s decade with 18,303 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Athena most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Athena are California (10,170 births), Texas (4,776 births), New York (3,507 births).
How long has the name Athena been used? ▼
Records for Athena go back to 1902, giving 124 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Athena? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Atha, Athalia, Athina, Athanasia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Athena's data
- Athena's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (18,303 total births) through the 2020s (16,536) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Athenas (10,170 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Athena
Nearby Names Like Athena
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Athena
Atha Girl
1,441 births
Athalia Girl
#2183 1,001 births
Athina Girl
#6988 902 births
Athanasia Girl
#9620 565 births
Athziri Girl
#11544 543 births
Compare Athena side by side: Athena vs Atha Athena vs Athalia Athena vs Athina
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Athena
Kennedy #89
93,663 births · Peak 2015
Melody #91
114,914 births · Peak 2025
Josie #88
75,370 births · Peak 2025
Caroline #92
250,410 births · Peak 2000
Millie #87
45,926 births · Peak 2025
Sarah #93
1,098,498 births · Peak 1982
Madeline #86
207,385 births · Peak 1998
Anna #94
914,859 births · Peak 1918
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1902–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Athena: #90 Girls' Name - 53,118 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/athena. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Athena draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.