Alethea
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.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Alethea
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 →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Alethea
Alethea first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1892, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1973, when 322 Aletheas were born — ranking #522 that year. As of 2026, Alethea ranks #2,524 for baby girls with 70 births, rising sharply (+32% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Aletheas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Alethea
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Alethea. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Alethea
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 Alethea
Phonetically similar names — useful when Alethea 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 Alethea
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About the name Alethea
Alethea is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1892 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Alethea's peak popularity came in 1973 when it ranked #522. Use the chart and map above to compare Alethea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1973 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
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.