Find out how popular the first name Thisbe has been for the last 9 years (from 2013 to 2021) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Thisbe by gender

Based on the last 9 years of data, Thisbe is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2021, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Thisbe.

The history of the first name Thisbe

The name Thisbe has its origins in Greek mythology, deriving from the tragic love story of Pyramus and Thisbe, narrated by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses. In this tale, Thisbe was a young Babylonian woman who fell in love with Pyramus, a young man from the same city, despite their families' enmity.

The name Thisbe is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek word "thisbe," which means "from Thisbe," a town in Boeotia, Greece. The town's name itself is thought to be derived from the Greek word "thisbē," meaning "sage" or "wild parsley." This connection suggests that the name Thisbe may have initially been associated with the natural world and vegetation.

While the name Thisbe is primarily known through its literary origins, some historical records indicate its use in ancient times. For instance, a woman named Thisbe is mentioned in an inscription from the Greek island of Delos, dated around the 1st century BC.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Thisbe was Thisbe of Miletus, a Greek poet who lived around the 6th century BC. She is believed to have been the first woman to write lyric poetry in ancient Greece, although only fragments of her work have survived.

In the 13th century, Thisbe appears as a character in the medieval Italian poem "Il Fiore," a work inspired by the Roman de la Rose. This inclusion further solidified the name's association with the tragic love story from Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Another notable figure named Thisbe was Thisbe Astrid Olsson (1877-1959), a Swedish painter and textile artist known for her vibrant color palettes and depictions of rural life in Sweden. Her works are housed in several Swedish museums and galleries.

In the 20th century, Thisbe Nini (1901-1978) was an Italian actress and dancer who achieved fame in Hollywood during the silent film era. She appeared in numerous films, including "The Thief of Bagdad" (1924) and "The Son of the Sheik" (1926), alongside actor Rudolph Valentino.

Finally, Thisbe Scalan (1935-2022) was a British actress and scriptwriter who had a successful career in television and theater. She is best known for her role as Valerie Risehill in the BBC sitcom "The Good Life" (1975-1978) and for her work on the popular children's TV series "Grange Hill."

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 Thisbe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!