Find out how popular the first name Athaliah has been for the last 25 years (from 1999 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Athaliah by gender

Based on the last 25 years of data, Athaliah is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 28 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Athaliah.

The history of the first name Athaliah

The name Athaliah has its origins in Hebrew culture and language. It is a combination of the Hebrew words 'athal' meaning 'afflicted' and 'Yah' which is a shortened form of the name Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. The name Athaliah can therefore be interpreted to mean 'afflicted by God' or 'God's afflicted one'.

Athaliah is a name that appears in the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. She was a princess of Israel who later became the Queen of Judah through her marriage to King Jehoram. Athaliah is notorious for her attempt to wipe out the entire royal family of Judah in order to seize power for herself. Her reign as Queen of Judah from 842-835 BC is described as one of the most wicked and idolatrous periods in the history of the kingdom.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Athaliah comes from a clay seal impression found in Israel, dating back to around the 8th century BC. This seal likely belonged to a woman named Athaliah who lived during the same time period as the biblical Queen Athaliah.

Throughout history, there have been several notable women named Athaliah. Athaliah of Judah, mentioned earlier, was the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, and the wife of King Jehoram of Judah. Another Athaliah was the daughter of Byzantine Emperor Michael III, who lived in the 9th century AD.

Another famous bearer of the name was Athaliah Wilcox Obholzer (1891-1964), an American educator and activist who was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement and a leader in the National Woman's Party. Athaliah Moloobhog (1855-1923) was a Native American artist and educator from the Choctaw Nation, known for her intricate beadwork and advocacy for Native American education.

One of the most recent historical figures with the name Athaliah was Athaliah Kalloo (1919-2003), a South African anti-apartheid activist and trade unionist who played a key role in organizing workers' strikes and protests against the apartheid regime in the 1940s and 1950s.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Athaliah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Athaliah, please contact us.

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