Eretria
An Ancient Greek feminine name derived from the regional name Eretria.
Name Census estimates that about 151 living Americans carry the first name Eretria. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Eretria today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Eretria births was 2018 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Eretria. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Eretria with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
151
~ 1 in 2,269,896 Americans
Peak year
2018
24 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,955
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Eretria: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Eretria from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 79 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eretria 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 Eretria during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Eretria
The name Eretria has its origins in ancient Greek culture, deriving from the name of the city-state of Eretria, located on the island of Euboea. The city was renowned for its powerful naval fleet and was a significant player in the Greco-Persian Wars of the 5th century BC.
In Greek mythology, Eretria was said to have been founded by Eretrieus, the son of Phaethon and Clymenē. Phaethon was the tragic figure who attempted to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky, leading to catastrophic consequences. The name Eretria itself is thought to be derived from the Greek word "eretmos," meaning "rower" or "oarsman," reflecting the city's maritime heritage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Eretria appears in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who chronicled the city's involvement in the Persian Wars. He mentions Eretria's destruction by the Persian forces in 490 BC, an event that precipitated the Battle of Marathon.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Eretria. One of the most famous was Eretria of Babylon (c. 300 BC), a renowned philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of geometry and arithmetic.
Another notable figure was Eretria of Cyrene (c. 200 BC), a poet and scholar who was renowned for her lyrical compositions and her vast knowledge of literature and philosophy.
In the realm of religion, Eretria of Alexandria (c. 50 AD) was an influential early Christian martyr, who was celebrated for her unwavering faith and commitment to spreading the teachings of Christianity.
During the Byzantine era, Eretria Komnene (c. 1150 AD) was a prominent member of the imperial family, known for her patronage of the arts and her influence in political affairs.
More recently, Eretria Papandreou (1856-1935) was a Greek educator and feminist activist who played a significant role in advocating for women's rights and access to education in late 19th and early 20th century Greece.
While the name Eretria may have fallen out of common usage in modern times, its rich historical legacy remains a testament to the enduring influence of ancient Greek culture and the remarkable individuals who bore this distinctive moniker.
People
Eretria + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Eretria as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Eretria: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Eretria?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 151 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Eretria 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 2,269,896 US residents.
Is Eretria a common name?
We classify Eretria as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 152 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Eretria most popular?
The single biggest year for Eretria was 2018, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Eretria 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 Eretria in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Eretria a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Eretria 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.
Is Eretria still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Eretria 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 Eretria 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 many people share the name Eretria?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.