Galena
Feminine name derived from Latin "galena", meaning "lead ore".
Name Census estimates that about 162 living Americans carry the first name Galena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Galena today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Galena births was 2010 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Galena. 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
162
~ 1 in 2,115,768 Americans
Peak year
2010
8 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2024 SSA rank
#16,041
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Galena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Galena from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 61 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Galena remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Galena 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 Galena 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 Galena
The name Galena is believed to have originated from the Ancient Greek word "galene," which means "calm" or "tranquility." It is thought to have been derived from the Greek word "galen," meaning "to be calm or still." The name likely emerged during the Classical Greek period, which spanned from the 5th to 4th centuries BC.
Galena was often associated with the Greek goddess of calm seas, Galene, who was the personification of tranquility and serenity. In Greek mythology, she was believed to have the power to calm storms and bring peace to the turbulent waters. The name may have been given to children as a way to invoke the goddess's blessings and wish for a peaceful and calm life.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Galena can be found in the works of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. In his play "The Clouds," written around 423 BC, there is a character named Galena, which suggests that the name was in use during this time period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Galena. One such person was Galena Andreyevna Derzhavin (1737-1808), a Russian poet and translator who was the wife of the renowned poet Gavriil Derzhavin. Another notable Galena was Galena Stavraki (1888-1965), a Greek actress and theater director who was instrumental in the development of modern Greek theater.
In the 19th century, Galena Vinitskaya (1841-1892) was a Russian author and translator who made significant contributions to the literary landscape of her time. Galena Leymbach (1904-1992) was a German-American artist and sculptor known for her abstract expressionist works.
More recently, Galena Khechinashvili (born 1995) is a Georgian tennis player who has represented her country in numerous international competitions. She is one of the few contemporary individuals to carry the name Galena, which has become relatively uncommon in modern times.
While the name Galena may not be as prevalent today as it once was, its rich history and connection to Greek mythology and the concept of tranquility and serenity make it a unique and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with cultural significance.
People
Galena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Galena as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Galena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Galena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 162 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Galena 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 2,115,768 US residents.
Is Galena a common name?
We classify Galena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 217 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Galena most popular?
The single biggest year for Galena was 2010, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Galena is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Galena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Galena 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.