Themis
Greek name meaning "divine law", associated with the Greek goddess of justice.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Themis. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 66.7% of registrations being female. The average person named Themis today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Themis births was 1916 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Themis. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Themis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1916
5 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
1975 SSA rank
#6,253
Tracked since 1916
Gender
Gender distribution for Themis
Themis is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 15 total registrations, 5 (33.3%) were male and 10 (66.7%) were female.
Themis as a male name
- Ranked #6,253 in 1975
- 5 male births in 1975
- Peak: 1975 (5 births)
Themis as a female name
- Ranked #17,409 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1916 (5 births)
Popularity
Themis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Themis from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 5 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
Themis 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 Themis 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 Themis
The given name Themis originated from ancient Greek mythology and has its roots in the Greek word 'themis', which means 'divine law' or 'order'. It was the name of the Titan goddess of justice, law, and order in Greek mythology, one of the few deities who survived the overthrow of the Titans by the Olympian gods.
Themis was revered as the personification of divine law, custom, and order, and was considered the embodiment of fairness, law, and natural order. She was often depicted holding a set of scales, symbolizing her role in maintaining balance and justice.
The earliest recorded use of the name Themis can be traced back to ancient Greek literature, where she was mentioned in various works, including Hesiod's 'Theogony' and Homer's 'Iliad'. In these texts, Themis was described as a wise and respected figure who advised the gods and played a crucial role in the establishment of social and moral order.
Throughout history, the name Themis has been borne by various notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded examples is Themis of Cyrene, a Greek poet who lived in the 3rd century BC and was known for her lyrical works. Another prominent bearer of the name was Themis of Laodicea, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 4th century AD and made significant contributions to the field of geometry.
In more recent times, Themis was the name of a 19th-century Greek painter, Theodoros Themis (1823-1888), who is known for his portraits and historical scenes. Additionally, Themis Veliou-Gkorra (1848-1892) was a renowned Greek feminist and activist who fought for women's rights and education in Greece.
Another notable individual with the name Themis was Themis Pnevmatikos (1888-1977), a Greek politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1963 to 1964. He played a significant role in the country's political landscape during a turbulent period in its history.
While the name Themis has its origins in ancient Greek mythology and culture, it has transcended its historical roots and has been adopted by individuals across various cultures and time periods, serving as a testament to the enduring influence of Greek mythology and the timeless values of justice and order.
People
Themis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Themis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Themis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Themis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Themis 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Themis a common name?
We classify Themis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Themis most popular?
The single biggest year for Themis was 1916, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Themis is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Themis a female name?
Yes, 66.7% of people registered as Themis 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.