Medea
Medea or Medéa is a female given name. From the Greek Μήδεια Mēdeia, possibly meaning someone who is pondering or cunning. In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
- Greek Mythology
- Georgian
Meaning & Origin of Medea
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Medea or Medéa is a female given name. From the Greek Μήδεια Mēdeia, possibly meaning someone who is pondering or cunning. In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Greek Mythology
- Georgian
The Story of Medea
The earliest SSA record of Medea as a baby girl name dates back to 1961, when 6 babies received it. 1975 was its biggest year on record, with 14 newborns named Medea — #4,370 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 39% of all recorded Medeas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2008 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 202 Medeas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Medea
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Medea. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Medeia
Notable people named Medea
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Amadea Palaiologina of Montferrat (1418–1440), queen consort of Cyprus
- Medea Chakhava (1921–2009), Georgian actress
- Medea , is a princess from Colchis (Western Georgia) in Greek mythology
- Medea Amiranashvili (1930–2023), Georgian opera singer and film actress.
- Medea Japaridze (1923–1994), Georgian actress
- Medea Benjamin (b. 1952), American peace activist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Medea
Phonetically similar names — useful when Medea 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 Medea
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About the name Medea
Medea is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1961 and has accumulated 202 births in the dataset. Medea's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #4,370. Use the chart and map above to compare Medea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1975 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- 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.