Girl · #13,843 in 2026

Athene

Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretised with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of various cities across Greece, particularly the city of Athens, from which she most likely received her name.

  • Greek Mythology
Current Rank
#13,843
Peak Rank
#3,126 (1923)
Total Babies
135
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1909
First Year
2003
Last Year
1923
Peak Year
#3126
Peak Rank
135
Total Count
21
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Athene

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

Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretised with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of various cities across Greece, particularly the city of Athens, from which she most likely received her name.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Greek Mythology
Etymology
The Acropolis at Athens (1846) by Leo von Klenze . Athena's name probably comes from the name of the city of Athens . Athena is associated with the city of Athens . The name of the city in ancient Greek is Ἀθῆναι ( Athȇnai ), a plural toponym , designating the place where—according to myth—she presided over the Athenai , a sisterhood devoted to her worship. In ancient times, scholars argued whether Athena was named after Athens or Athens after Athena. Now scholars generally agree that the goddess takes her name from the city; the ending - ene is common in names of locations, but rare for perso

The Story of Athene

The earliest SSA record of Athene as a baby girl name dates back to 1909, when 5 babies received it. 1923 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Athene — #3,126 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Athene on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Athene last appeared in the published SSA data in 2003, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 135 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
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MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
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VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
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AR
TN
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AK
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OK
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Athene

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Athene. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Athene

Phonetically similar names — useful when Athene 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 Athene

What does the name Athene mean?
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretised with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of various cities across Greece, particularly the city of Athens, from which she most likely received her name.
What is the origin of the name Athene?
Athene has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Greek Mythology.
How popular is Athene in 2026?
In 2026, Athene ranks #13,843 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Athene most popular?
Athene reached its peak popularity in 1923, ranking #3,126 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Athene a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Athene is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Athene?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Athene include Marianita, Omer, Idonia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Athene?
Common variants and related forms of Athene include Athena. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Marianita
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Omer
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Idonia
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Euva
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Dorthia
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Quida
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Alfonsina
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Geniva
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About the name Athene

Athene is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 135 births in the dataset. Athene's peak popularity came in 1923 when it ranked #3,126. Use the chart and map above to compare Athene'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.