Athanasia
Feminine name of Greek origin meaning "immortal" or "eternal life".
Name Census estimates that about 507 living Americans carry the first name Athanasia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Athanasia today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Athanasia births was 1975 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Athanasia. 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
507
~ 1 in 676,044 Americans
Peak year
1975
17 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,605
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Athanasia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Athanasia from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 100 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Athanasia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Athanasia 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 Athanasia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Athanasias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Athanasia
The name Athanasia derives from the Greek word "athanasia," which means "immortality" or "eternal life." It has its origins in ancient Greek philosophy and mythology, where the concept of immortality and the pursuit of everlasting life held great significance.
In ancient Greek mythology, the goddess Athena, the embodiment of wisdom and courage, was sometimes referred to as Athena Athanasia, highlighting her association with the concept of immortality. This name was also used to describe other deities and heroes who were believed to have achieved a form of eternal existence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Athanasia can be found in the works of Plato, the renowned Greek philosopher who lived from 428 BC to 348 BC. In his dialogues, Plato explored the idea of the immortal soul and its journey towards knowledge and enlightenment, themes that resonated with the meaning of Athanasia.
During the Byzantine era, the name Athanasia gained prominence as a Christian name, reflecting the belief in eternal life promised by the teachings of Christianity. Saint Athanasia of Aegina, a 9th-century nun and founder of a convent on the Greek island of Aegina, was a notable figure who bore this name.
In the realm of literature, Athanasia has been used as a character name in various works, including the poem "The Immortal" by William Cullen Bryant, published in 1839. The poem explores the theme of immortality and features a character named Athanasia who seeks to uncover the secrets of eternal life.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Athanasia, including:
1. Athanasia of Constantinople (5th century), a Byzantine princess and daughter of Emperor Theodosius II.
2. Athanasia Rennertshofer (1769-1841), an Austrian painter and engraver known for her religious works.
3. Athanasia Tsoumeleka (1931-2008), a Greek actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and theatrical productions.
4. Athanasia Stavrakopoulou (born 1976), a British theologian and broadcaster, known for her work on early Christian history and the Bible.
5. Athanasia Kanellopoulou (1936-2022), a Greek actress and singer who had a prolific career spanning over six decades.
The name Athanasia, with its rich historical and cultural associations, continues to be used in various parts of the world, carrying with it the essence of immortality and the enduring pursuit of everlasting life and wisdom.
People
Athanasia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Athanasia 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
Athanasia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Athanasia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 507 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Athanasia 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 676,044 US residents.
Is Athanasia a common name?
We classify Athanasia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 556 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Athanasia most popular?
The single biggest year for Athanasia was 1975, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Athanasia is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Athanasia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Athanasia 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.