Apphia
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "industrious" or "beloved".
Name Census estimates that about 222 living Americans carry the first name Apphia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Apphia today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Apphia births was 2024 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Apphia. 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
222
~ 1 in 1,543,938 Americans
Peak year
2024
28 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,766
Tracked since 1983
Popularity
Apphia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Apphia from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 92 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
Apphia 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 Apphia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Apphia
The name Apphia is derived from the Greek word "aphia," which means "fruitful" or "abundant." Its origins can be traced back to ancient Greek culture and the early Christian era.
The name Apphia is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Epistle to Philemon. In this letter, the Apostle Paul greets a woman named Apphia, who is believed to have been a prominent member of the early Christian church.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Apphia was Apphia of Pergamum, who lived in the 2nd century AD. She was a Christian martyr who was executed during the reign of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius for her refusal to renounce her faith.
Another notable figure named Apphia was Apphia of Cyrene, a 5th-century Christian philosopher and theologian from the city of Cyrene in modern-day Libya. She was known for her writings on the nature of the soul and the relationship between faith and reason.
In the 6th century, Apphia of Alexandria was a prominent Christian mystic and ascetic who lived in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. She was renowned for her spiritual teachings and her dedication to a life of prayer and contemplation.
A more recent historical figure with the name Apphia was Apphia Holter (1781-1856), a Norwegian educator and philanthropist. She founded several schools and orphanages in Norway and worked tirelessly to improve the education and welfare of children.
Finally, Apphia Nathaniel (1917-1998) was a renowned Australian artist and painter. She was known for her vibrant and colorful depictions of the Australian landscape and her unique style of abstract expressionism.
While the name Apphia has its roots in ancient Greek culture and early Christianity, it has been used across various cultures and time periods, with each individual bearing this name leaving their mark on history in their own unique way.
People
Apphia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Apphia 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
Apphia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Apphia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 222 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Apphia 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 1,543,938 US residents.
Is Apphia a common name?
We classify Apphia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 225 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Apphia most popular?
The single biggest year for Apphia was 2024, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Apphia is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Apphia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Apphia 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.
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.