Hymen
A male given name derived from the Greek word for marriage.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Hymen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hymen today is around 112 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hymen births was 1918 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hymen. 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
- • The typical person named Hymen is about 112 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Hymens were born before 1924.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hymen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1918
31 babies that year
Average age
112
years old
1931 SSA rank
#4,028
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Hymen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hymen from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 192 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hymen 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 Hymen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hymens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts recorded the most babies named Hymen, while New York, Michigan, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hymen
The name Hymen originates from ancient Greek mythology and religion. It is derived from the Greek word "hymen," which refers to the membrane or fold of mucosal tissue that partially covers the opening of the vagina. In Greek mythology, Hymen was the deity who presided over marriage ceremonies and the consummation of marriage.
In ancient Greek literature, the name Hymen appears in various texts and works. For instance, it is mentioned in Euripides' play "Iphigenia in Aulis" and Ovid's "Metamorphoses." The name was also associated with the hymenaios, a type of bridal song or chant performed during wedding ceremonies in ancient Greece.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Hymen was a Greek poet from the 5th century BCE. Not much is known about his life or works, as only fragments of his poetry have survived. Another notable figure was Hymen of Ephesus, a philosopher and grammarian who lived in the 2nd century CE.
In Roman mythology, Hymen was also recognized as the god of marriage. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Hymen of Alexandria, a Neoplatonist philosopher who lived in the 4th century CE and wrote commentaries on various works by Plato and Aristotle.
During the Renaissance period, the name Hymen became associated with the concept of virginity and the celebration of marriage. In literature, it was often used as a metaphor or personification in works by poets and playwrights, such as John Milton's "Paradise Lost" and William Shakespeare's "As You Like It."
Throughout history, several other individuals have borne the name Hymen, though their significance may vary. These include Hymen of Smyrna, a Greek historian from the 2nd century BCE, and Hymen of Cyzicus, a Greek philosopher and mathematician from the 1st century BCE.
People
Hymen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hymen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hymen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hymen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hymen 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Hymen a common name?
We classify Hymen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 285 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hymen most popular?
The single biggest year for Hymen was 1918, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hymen is about 112 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 Hymen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hymen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hymen 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 Hymen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hymen 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 Hymen 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 have Hymen as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Hymen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.