Seth first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Seth has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Seth

Of Hebrew origin, meaning "appointed" or "placed".

Popularity of Seth by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Seth is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Seth being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 530 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Seth.

YearMale CountFemale Count
20245300
20235620
20226430
20216020
20206830
20198290
20188590
20171,0650
20161,1650
20151,3500
20141,5045
20131,5955
20121,8150
20112,0945
20102,3800
20092,9440
20083,2835
20073,7689
20064,32713
20054,7127
20045,18728
20035,2558
20025,73911
20016,2239
20006,7178
19996,3046
19984,5866
19974,0438
19963,88614
19953,9118
19944,1357
19934,06014
19923,91213
19913,81016
19903,56211
19893,63411
19883,49119
19873,33914
19862,98121
19852,82019
19842,91120
19832,85816
19822,91020
19813,13733
19803,05116
19792,84016
19782,50517
19772,28816
19762,0989
19751,86712

The history of the first name Seth

The name Seth has its origins in ancient Egypt, derived from the Egyptian god of storms, deserts, and chaos. It dates back to around 3100 BC and was originally written as "Sutekh" or "Setesh" in hieroglyphic texts. The name is believed to be linked to the ancient Egyptian word "sedj," meaning "to be rebel" or "to be rebellious."

In the ancient Egyptian mythology, Seth was the son of Geb, the god of the earth, and Nut, the goddess of the sky. He was initially depicted as a protector of the pharaohs but later became associated with violence, chaos, and the desert due to his involvement in the murder of his brother Osiris.

The name Seth appears in various ancient Egyptian texts, including the Pyramid Texts and the Book of the Dead. It was also mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, where Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve, born after Cain and Abel.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Seth comes from an ancient Egyptian royal inscription dating back to around 2600 BC, referring to a high official named "Seth-mes." In Greek mythology, Seth was associated with the god Typhon, the monstrous embodiment of chaos and destruction.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Seth. Here are five examples:

  1. Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis (biblical figure, circa 4000 BC).
  2. Seth-Peribsen, an Egyptian pharaoh of the Second Dynasty who ruled around 2770-2670 BC.
  3. Seth Wardicus, a Roman writer and historian who lived in the 1st century AD.
  4. Seth Calvisius, a German mathematician and astronomer (1556-1617) known for his work on the Gregorian calendar reform.
  5. Seth Leavitt, an American astronomer (1796-1857) who discovered several comets and calculated the orbit of the Great Comet of 1853.

The name Seth has maintained its significance throughout various cultures and religions, often representing a connection to ancient Egyptian mythology, chaos, and rebellion.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Seth was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Seth, please contact us.

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