Atlanta
A name derived from Greek mythology, referring to the mythical female figure bearing the East Atlas.
Name Census estimates that about 634 living Americans carry the first name Atlanta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Atlanta today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Atlanta births was 1995 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Atlanta. 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
634
~ 1 in 540,622 Americans
Peak year
1995
37 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2024 SSA rank
#15,539
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Atlanta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Atlanta from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 228 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Atlanta 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 Atlanta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Atlantas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Atlanta
The name Atlanta is derived from the Greek word "Atlantis," which was the name of a legendary island mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written around 360 BCE. According to the ancient Greek myth, Atlantis was a powerful island nation that sank into the Atlantic Ocean due to the gods' wrath.
The earliest recorded use of the name Atlanta dates back to the late 18th century, when it was used as a reference to the mythical island of Atlantis. In 1837, the city of Atlanta, Georgia, was founded and named after the mythical island, symbolizing its emergence as a new and promising metropolis.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Atlanta was Atlanta Houghton (1853-1923), an American educator and women's rights activist. She was a pioneer in the field of physical education for women and helped establish the Department of Physical Training at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
Another prominent figure with the name Atlanta was Atlanta Everett (1875-1952), an American journalist and author. She was known for her work as a war correspondent during World War I and wrote several books, including "Gallipoli Memories" and "The Turkish Empire: Its Growth and Decay."
In the realm of literature, Atlanta Lester (1891-1968) was an American poet and educator. She published several collections of poetry and taught English at various universities, including Howard University and Fisk University.
Atlanta Caldwell (1907-1988) was a British artist and sculptor known for her abstract works. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and exhibited her sculptures internationally.
Atlanta Navarro (1948-2008) was a Mexican actress and singer who appeared in numerous telenovelas (soap operas) and films. She was also a successful recording artist, releasing several albums throughout her career.
While the name Atlanta has its roots in Greek mythology and was initially associated with the legendary island, it has since been adopted and used by individuals from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, reflecting its enduring appeal and significance.
People
Atlanta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Atlanta 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
Atlanta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Atlanta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 634 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Atlanta 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 540,622 US residents.
Is Atlanta a common name?
We classify Atlanta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 692 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Atlanta most popular?
The single biggest year for Atlanta was 1995, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Atlanta is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Atlanta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Atlanta 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.