Apostolos
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "messenger" or "emissary".
Name Census estimates that about 225 living Americans carry the first name Apostolos. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Apostolos today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Apostolos births was 1976 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Apostolos. 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
225
~ 1 in 1,523,353 Americans
Peak year
1976
13 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2018 SSA rank
#10,860
Tracked since 1966
Popularity
Apostolos: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Apostolos from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 76 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Apostolos 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 Apostolos during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Apostolos' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Apostolos
The given name Apostolos has its origins in the Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "apostolos," which means "messenger" or "one who is sent forth." This name has deep roots in the Christian tradition and can be traced back to the early days of the Christian faith.
One of the earliest and most significant references to the name Apostolos can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. In the Gospels, the term "apostle" is used to refer to the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus Christ to spread his teachings and establish the early Christian church. The name Apostolos is a direct translation of this term from Greek.
The first recorded use of Apostolos as a personal name dates back to the Byzantine Empire, where it was commonly given to children born into Christian families. During this time, the name held great significance as a symbol of faith and devotion to the Christian religion.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Apostolos. One of the earliest examples is Saint Apostolos, a 3rd-century Christian martyr who was executed during the reign of Emperor Diocletian for refusing to renounce his faith. Another prominent figure was Apostolos Konstamonitou (1654-1722), a Greek scholar and theologian who played a vital role in the Greek Enlightenment.
In the 19th century, Apostolos Valerianos (1803-1879) was a Greek poet and philosopher known for his contribution to the Greek Romantic movement. Apostolos Christou (1875-1940) was a prominent Greek politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Greece in the early 20th century.
More recently, Apostolos Gkoutsidis (1935-2018) was a renowned Greek actor and theater director who left a lasting impact on the Greek cultural scene. He is remembered for his numerous performances and contributions to the development of modern Greek theater.
While the name Apostolos has its roots in the Greek language and Christian tradition, it has also gained popularity in other cultures and regions around the world, particularly among Orthodox Christian communities. However, the name retains its strong connection to its Greek heritage and the rich history associated with its meaning as a "messenger" or "one who is sent forth."
People
Apostolos + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Apostolos 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
Apostolos: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Apostolos?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 225 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Apostolos 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 1,523,353 US residents.
Is Apostolos a common name?
We classify Apostolos as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 237 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Apostolos most popular?
The single biggest year for Apostolos was 1976, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Apostolos is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Apostolos a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Apostolos in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.