Find out how popular the first name Athens has been for the last 18 years (from 2006 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Athens by gender

Based on the last 18 years of data, Athens is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 77% of people named Athens being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 8 male babies and 8 female babies born with the name Athens.

The history of the first name Athens

The given name Athens is a relatively uncommon name that has its origins in Ancient Greece. It is derived from the name of the ancient city-state of Athens, which was one of the most influential and powerful cities in ancient times.

The city of Athens was named after the Greek goddess Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, war strategy, and the arts. The name Athens is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek word "Athenai," which was the name used to refer to the city and its surrounding regions.

One of the earliest known references to the name Athens can be found in ancient Greek literature and historical texts, such as the works of Herodotus and Thucydides. These texts provide detailed accounts of the city's history, culture, and role in the ancient Greek world.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Athens. One of the earliest recorded examples is Athens of Naucratis, who was a Greek philosopher and mathematician from the 3rd century BC. He is known for his contributions to the field of mathematics and for being a prominent figure in the Library of Alexandria.

Another famous bearer of the name was Athens of Byzantium, who lived in the 2nd century AD. He was a Greek philosopher and grammarian who wrote extensively on the works of Homer and other ancient Greek authors.

In more recent times, there was Athens Raftopoulou, a Greek composer and pianist who lived from 1887 to 1972. She was known for her compositions in the classical style and for her contributions to the development of Greek music.

Another notable individual was Athens Rallis, a Greek politician and diplomat who lived from 1844 to 1922. He served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1909 to 1910 and played a significant role in the country's political affairs during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Finally, Athens Georgopoulos was a Greek-American neuroscientist and professor who lived from 1939 to 2022. He made important contributions to the understanding of the brain's motor control systems and was a pioneer in the field of computational neuroscience.

While the name Athens is not as common as some other Greek names, it holds a significant place in the history and culture of Ancient Greece, and has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries.

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 Athens was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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