Theseus
A masculine name from Greek mythology referring to the heroic legendary founder of Athens.
Name Census estimates that about 420 living Americans carry the first name Theseus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Theseus today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Theseus births was 2015 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Theseus. 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
420
~ 1 in 816,082 Americans
Peak year
2015
44 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,763
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Theseus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Theseus from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 288 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Theseus remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Theseus 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 Theseus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Theseus' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, Arizona recorded the most babies named Theseus, while Arizona, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Theseus
The name Theseus originated from Greek mythology and ancient Greek culture. It is derived from the Greek word "thesmos," meaning "institution" or "law." The name Theseus is believed to have emerged around the 8th century BC during the Greek Archaic period.
Theseus was the mythical duke of Athens and one of the most celebrated heroes in Greek mythology. His adventures and exploits are recorded in various ancient Greek texts, including the works of Homer, Plutarch, and Euripides. In Greek mythology, Theseus was the son of Aethra and Aegeus, the king of Athens.
The earliest recorded example of the name Theseus can be found in Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were written around the 8th century BC. In these works, Theseus is portrayed as a powerful warrior and a wise leader who participated in the Trojan War.
One of the most famous individuals named Theseus was the mythological hero himself, who lived around the 13th century BC according to ancient Greek legends. He was renowned for his bravery and intelligence, and his adventures included slaying the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature that dwelled in the Labyrinth on the island of Crete.
Another notable figure named Theseus was Theseus of Athens, a Greek mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 4th century BC. He is credited with several important contributions to the field of mathematics, including the concept of the Theseus paradox, which explores the question of identity and change.
In the 1st century AD, a Greek philosopher named Theseus of Tralles lived in the city of Tralles in ancient Lydia (modern-day Turkey). He was a follower of the Stoic philosophical tradition and is known for his writings on ethics and virtuous living.
During the Renaissance period, a Greek scholar named Theseus Ambrosius (1469-1540) was renowned for his translations of ancient Greek texts into Latin. He played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating the works of classical Greek authors during a time when the study of ancient Greek literature was experiencing a revival.
In the 19th century, a Greek painter named Theseus Athanasiou (1819-1898) gained recognition for his realistic portrayal of everyday life and landscapes in Greece. His works provided valuable insights into the social and cultural aspects of 19th-century Greek society.
People
Theseus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Theseus 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
Theseus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Theseus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 420 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Theseus 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 816,082 US residents.
Is Theseus a common name?
We classify Theseus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 423 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Theseus most popular?
The single biggest year for Theseus was 2015, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Theseus is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Theseus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Theseus 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.
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.