Althea
Althea is an English female given name. It is a variation of the Greek name Althaea (Αλθαια), which may be related to Greek ἀλθος althos ("healing").
Meaning & Origin of Althea
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Althea is an English female given name. It is a variation of the Greek name Althaea (Αλθαια), which may be related to Greek ἀλθος althos ("healing").
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Althea
Althea first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1956, when 389 Altheas were born — ranking #475 that year. As of 2026, Althea ranks #1,353 for baby girls with 167 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 18K Altheas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Althea
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Althea Braithwaite (1940–2020), English children's author, illustrator, publisher and glass artist
- Althea Bridges (born 1936), Australian opera singer and music teacher
- Althea Currier (born 1941), American glamor model and actress
- Althea Flynt (1953–1987), fourth wife of Larry Flynt
- Althea Gibson (1927–2003), American athlete
- Althea Forrest, one half of vocal duo Althea & Donna
- Althea McNish (1924–2020), British textile designer of Trinidadian origin
- Althea G. Quimby (1858-1942), American temperance leader
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Althea
Phonetically similar names — useful when Althea 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 Althea
What does the name Althea mean?
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When was Althea most popular?
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About the name Althea
Althea is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Althea's peak popularity came in 1956 when it ranked #356. Use the chart and map above to compare Althea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1956 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all girl names →
- 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.