Cythia
A feminine name derived from the Greek mythological name Kythera.
Name Census estimates that about 340 living Americans carry the first name Cythia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cythia today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cythia births was 1961 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cythia. 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
340
~ 1 in 1,008,101 Americans
Peak year
1961
21 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1994 SSA rank
#12,128
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Cythia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cythia from the 1950s through to the 1990s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 129 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cythia 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 Cythia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cythias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cythia
The name Cythia has its origins in ancient Greek culture, deriving from the word "Kythera," which refers to the Greek island of the same name. This island was associated with the goddess Aphrodite, known as the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure. The name Cythia is thought to be a feminine form of "Kytherios," meaning "of Kythera" or "from Kythera," which was a title given to Aphrodite herself.
In Greek mythology, Cythera was believed to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, who emerged from the sea foam near its shores. As a result, the island held significant importance in ancient Greek culture, with temples and sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess of love. The name Cythia, therefore, carries connotations of beauty, grace, and sensuality, reflecting the qualities associated with the divine Aphrodite.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cythia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, who lived around the 8th century BC. In his epic poem "Theogony," Hesiod refers to Aphrodite as "Cytherea," a variation of the name Cythia, further solidifying the connection between the name and the goddess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Cythia, though its usage has been relatively uncommon. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Cythia of Cyrene (fl. 5th century BC), a Greek philosopher and mathematician who studied under the renowned Socrates. Another prominent figure was Cythia of Alexandria (fl. 3rd century AD), a Neoplatonist philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of geometry.
In the realm of literature, Cythia was the name given to a character in the pastoral poetry of the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In his work "Eclogues," Virgil portrays Cythia as a beautiful and idealized love interest, further reinforcing the name's association with love and beauty.
During the Renaissance period, Cythia was the name of a character in the works of the Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). Ariosto's epic poem "Orlando Furioso" features a character named Cythia, who represents the embodiment of divine beauty and grace.
Another notable figure with the name Cythia was Cythia Huntingdon (1701-1791), an English novelist and playwright who was active during the 18th century. Her works, though not widely known today, contributed to the literary landscape of her time.
While the name Cythia has been relatively uncommon throughout history, its rich cultural and mythological origins have imbued it with a sense of beauty, grace, and connection to the divine feminine. As a name deeply rooted in ancient Greek mythology and the worship of Aphrodite, it carries a timeless quality that continues to evoke the ideals of love, sensuality, and aesthetic appreciation.
People
Cythia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cythia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cythia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cythia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 340 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cythia 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 1,008,101 US residents.
Is Cythia a common name?
We classify Cythia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 401 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cythia most popular?
The single biggest year for Cythia was 1961, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cythia is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cythia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cythia 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.