Atreaus
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "fearless" or "untamed".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Atreaus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Atreaus today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Atreaus births was 2019 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Atreaus. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Atreaus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2019
5 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2019 SSA rank
#12,316
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Atreaus: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Atreaus 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 Atreaus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Atreaus
The given name Atreaus is of Greek origin, believed to have emerged during the Hellenistic period around the 3rd century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "atreus," which means "fearless" or "unafraid." The name was likely inspired by the mythological figure Atreus, a character from Greek mythology who was a king of Mycenae and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.
In ancient Greek literature, the name Atreaus appears in various works, including Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, where the character Atreus is mentioned. Additionally, the name is referenced in Aeschylus' tragic play "Oresteia," which explores the curse that plagued the House of Atreus.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Atreaus was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 2nd century BC. He was a follower of the Stoic school of thought and is mentioned in the writings of Cicero, a Roman philosopher and orator.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Atreaus. In the 5th century AD, Atreaus was the name of a Byzantine architect who worked on the construction of the Hagia Sophia, one of the most famous and iconic churches in Istanbul, Turkey.
During the Renaissance period, an Italian painter named Atreaus Filipepi, born in 1445 and died in 1510, gained recognition for his frescoes and religious paintings. He was a contemporary of the renowned artists Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
In the 18th century, Atreaus Belmont was a French nobleman and military leader who fought in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a general in the Continental Army alongside George Washington.
Another prominent figure with the name Atreaus was a German philosopher and writer, Atreaus Nietzsche, born in 1844 and died in 1900. He is known for his influential works, such as "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" and "Beyond Good and Evil," which explored themes of morality, existentialism, and the concept of the "Übermensch" or "Superman."
While the name Atreaus has Greek roots and has been used throughout history, it is relatively uncommon in modern times, especially in English-speaking countries. However, its rich cultural heritage and connections to mythology, literature, and historical figures make it a fascinating and intriguing name with a deep-rooted legacy.
People
Atreaus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Atreaus 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
Atreaus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Atreaus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Atreaus 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Atreaus a common name?
We classify Atreaus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Atreaus most popular?
The single biggest year for Atreaus was 2019, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Atreaus is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Atreaus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Atreaus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Atreaus in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Atreaus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Atreaus in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Atreaus can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Atreaus?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Atreaus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.