Aithana
A feminine name perhaps of Greek origin meaning "ever-shining".
Name Census estimates that about 397 living Americans carry the first name Aithana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Aithana today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aithana births was 2023 (84 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aithana. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
397
~ 1 in 863,361 Americans
Peak year
2023
84 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,243
Tracked since 2015
Popularity
Aithana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aithana from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 299 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aithana by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aithana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aithanas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Aithana, while New Jersey, Georgia, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Aithana
The name Aithana is believed to have originated from the Greek language, likely arising during the Hellenistic period or earlier in ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "aithanē," which means "eternal" or "everlasting." This root word is related to the Greek concept of "aithēr," referring to the pure and quintessential air that the gods were thought to breathe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aithana can be found in Greek mythology. According to legend, Aithana was the name given to a nymph who was believed to be the daughter of Helios, the powerful sun god. Her name was symbolic of her immortal and eternal nature, reflecting the enduring presence of the sun in the sky.
During the Byzantine era, the name Aithana was occasionally used among Greek Christians. It was particularly popular in regions with strong Greek cultural influences, such as parts of modern-day Turkey and Greece. The name's association with eternity and divinity made it appealing to those who sought to honor their faith and spiritual beliefs.
In the 4th century AD, there was a notable figure named Aithana who lived in the city of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). She was a respected Christian scholar and theologian known for her insightful interpretations of religious texts. Unfortunately, little is known about her life beyond her scholarly contributions.
Another historical figure bearing the name Aithana was a Byzantine noblewoman who lived in the 9th century AD. She was a wealthy landowner and patron of the arts, known for commissioning several magnificent mosaics and frescoes in churches throughout the Byzantine Empire.
In the 12th century, there was an Aithana who was a celebrated poet and philosopher in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. Her works, though largely lost to time, were praised for their eloquence and deep contemplation of the human condition.
Throughout history, the name Aithana has been relatively uncommon, likely due to its unique origins and meaning. However, it has occasionally resurfaced in various cultures and time periods, often carrying with it a sense of timelessness and connection to the ancient world.
People
Aithana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aithana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aithana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aithana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 397 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aithana going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 863,361 US residents.
Is Aithana a common name?
We classify Aithana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 399 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aithana most popular?
The single biggest year for Aithana was 2023, when 84 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aithana is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Aithana in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aithana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aithana in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Aithana still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aithana in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Aithana can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Aithana?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.