Thetis
A feminine name of Greek mythology referring to a sea nymph.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Thetis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Thetis today is around 82 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thetis births was 1915 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thetis. 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 Thetis is about 82 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Thetis' were born before 1954.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thetis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1915
10 babies that year
Average age
82
years old
1949 SSA rank
#5,205
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Thetis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Thetis from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 72 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Thetis 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 Thetis 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 Thetis
The name Thetis has its origins in Greek mythology, deriving from the ancient Greek word "thetis," which means "a marine goddess" or "sea nymph." It is believed to have been in use since ancient times, as Thetis was a prominent figure in Greek legends and stories.
Thetis was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology, who was a daughter of the sea god Nereus and one of the 50 Nereids. According to the Iliad, an epic poem by Homer, Thetis was the mother of the great warrior Achilles. She played a significant role in the story, as she tried to protect her son and influence the events of the Trojan War.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Thetis can be found in the Iliad, which is believed to have been composed around the 8th century BCE. The name also appears in other ancient Greek literature, such as the works of Hesiod and Ovid, further solidifying its place in Greek mythology.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Thetis. One of the earliest recorded examples is Thetis of Crete, a Greek poet who lived around the 7th century BCE and is credited with the invention of the bucolic or pastoral poetry genre.
Another famous Thetis was Thetis of Thessaly, a Greek priestess who lived in the 4th century BCE and was renowned for her wisdom and knowledge of religious rituals. She is said to have played a significant role in the establishment of the Eleusinian Mysteries, one of the most sacred ancient Greek religious rites.
In the modern era, Thetis Blacker (1927-2002) was a British artist and author known for her contributions to the field of botanical illustration and her work in promoting the conservation of endangered plant species.
Thetis Mariam Rendel (1865-1948) was a British philanthropist and social reformer who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of women and children, particularly in the field of education and health care.
Thetis Ninsee (1805-1860) was a Greek philosopher and educator who played a crucial role in the development of modern Greek education and the promotion of women's rights in the 19th century.
While the name Thetis may not be as common today, its rich history and association with Greek mythology have given it a unique and enduring significance, making it a distinctive choice for those seeking a name with a strong cultural and literary heritage.
People
Thetis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thetis 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
Thetis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thetis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thetis 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Thetis a common name?
We classify Thetis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 147 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thetis most popular?
The single biggest year for Thetis was 1915, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thetis is about 82 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 Thetis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thetis a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thetis 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 Thetis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thetis 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 Thetis 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 share the name Thetis?
Want to know how many people share the name Thetis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.