Oleatha
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Latin meaning "olive tree".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Oleatha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Oleatha today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oleatha births was 1919 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oleatha. 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 Oleatha is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Oleathas were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oleatha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
1919
8 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1964 SSA rank
#7,491
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Oleatha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oleatha from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Oleatha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oleatha 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 Oleatha 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 Oleatha
The name Oleatha is believed to have its roots in the ancient Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "olea," which means "olive tree." The olive tree held significant cultural and symbolic importance in ancient Greek societies, representing peace, fertility, and prosperity.
In Greek mythology, the olive tree was closely associated with the goddess Athena, the patron deity of Athens. According to legend, Athena and Poseidon competed for the honor of becoming the patron of the city. Athena's gift of an olive tree was deemed more valuable than Poseidon's gift of a saltwater spring, and thus, she was chosen as the city's protector.
The earliest recorded use of the name Oleatha can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was given to female children born during olive harvesting seasons or in regions renowned for their olive groves. While the name was not as common as other Greek names, it carried a sense of connection to the land, abundance, and divine blessings.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Oleatha. One of the earliest recorded was Oleatha of Argos, a renowned sculptor who lived in the 5th century BCE. Her works, though now lost, were praised for their exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail.
In the 3rd century CE, Oleatha of Ephesus gained recognition as a philosopher and teacher. She was part of the Neo-Pythagorean school of thought and was known for her wisdom and eloquence in conveying complex philosophical concepts.
During the Byzantine era, Oleatha of Constantinople (c. 1050 - 1120) was a celebrated poet and writer. Her works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were widely read and admired by the intellectual elite of the time.
In the 16th century, Oleatha Borgia (1492 - 1553) was a prominent figure in the Italian Renaissance. As a member of the powerful Borgia family, she was known for her patronage of the arts and her influential role in the political and cultural landscapes of the era.
The name Oleatha also found its way into religious texts and records. In the 9th century, an abbess named Oleatha was mentioned in the chronicles of a monastery in southern Italy, where she was revered for her piety and leadership.
While the name Oleatha has fallen out of common usage in modern times, its rich history and connection to the ancient Greek culture and mythology continue to fascinate scholars and historians alike. The name serves as a reminder of the enduring influence of ancient civilizations and their symbolic associations with nature and divine forces.
People
Oleatha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oleatha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oleatha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oleatha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oleatha 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Oleatha a common name?
We classify Oleatha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 55 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oleatha most popular?
The single biggest year for Oleatha was 1919, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oleatha is about 76 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 Oleatha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oleatha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oleatha 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 Oleatha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oleatha 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 Oleatha 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 Americans are named Oleatha?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.