Girl · #11,069 in 2026

Aletha

Alethea is an English-language female first name derived from the Ancient Greek feminine noun ἀλήθεια, alḗtheia, 'truth'. Aletheia was the personification of truth in Greek philosophy. Alethea was not in use as a name prior to the 1500s. English Puritans used it as a virtue name, though it was also in rare use among aristocratic families who did not practise Puritanism.

Current Rank
#11,069
Peak Rank
#603 (1923)
Total Babies
7K
5-Yr Trend
-17%
1881
First Year
2024
Last Year
1923
Peak Year
#603
Peak Rank
7K
Total Count
141
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Aletha

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Alethea is an English-language female first name derived from the Ancient Greek feminine noun ἀλήθεια, alḗtheia, 'truth'. Aletheia was the personification of truth in Greek philosophy. Alethea was not in use as a name prior to the 1500s. English Puritans used it as a virtue name, though it was also in rare use among aristocratic families who did not practise Puritanism.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Aletha

Aletha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1881, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1923, when 145 Alethas were born — ranking #603 that year. As of 2026, Aletha ranks #11,069 for baby girls with 8 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 7K Alethas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Aletha

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (born 1978), Inuk Canadian filmmaker
  • Alethea Boon (born 1984), New Zealand athlete
  • Alethea Charlton (1931–1976), British actress
  • Alethea Garstin (1894–1978), British painter and Royal Academician
  • Aletha Gilbert (1870-1931), American policewoman, Los Angeles City Mother, clubwoman
  • Alethea Hayter (1911–2006), British author and British Council representative
  • Alethea Hill Platt (1860–1932), American artist and educator
  • Alethea Howard, Countess of Arundel (1585–1654), née Talbot, wife of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Aletha

Phonetically similar names — useful when Aletha is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Aletha

What does the name Aletha mean?
Alethea is an English-language female first name derived from the Ancient Greek feminine noun ἀλήθεια, alḗtheia, 'truth'. Aletheia was the personification of truth in Greek philosophy. Alethea was not in use as a name prior to the 1500s. English Puritans used it as a virtue name, though it was also in rare use among aristocratic families who did not practise Puritanism.
How popular is Aletha in 2026?
In 2026, Aletha ranks #11,069 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Aletha most popular?
Aletha reached its peak popularity in 1923, ranking #603 that year with 145 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Aletha most popular?
Aletha has historically been most popular in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Aletha.
Is Aletha a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Aletha is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Aletha?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Aletha include Amelie, Annamae, Damaris. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Aletha

Aletha is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Aletha's peak popularity came in 1923 when it ranked #603. Use the chart and map above to compare Aletha's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.