Athena
Athena is a girls' name of Greek origin meaning “goddess of wisdom and war.” It ranked #55 in the United States in 2025. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, and strategic warfare.
how do you pronounce Athena?
ah-THEE-nah
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Athena mean?
The name Athena means “goddess of wisdom and war.” It comes from the Greek language tradition.
Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, and strategic warfare. The city of Athens was named in her honor. The name has risen dramatically in popularity as parents embrace powerful mythological names for girls.
where does the name Athena come from?
The Greek Ἀθηνᾶ, the goddess's own name, of uncertain and probably pre-Greek origin. The relationship with the city is debated in both directions — whether Athens is named for the goddess or the goddess for the city — and the ancient sources do not settle it.
the history of Athena
Athena is the goddess of wisdom, craft and strategic warfare, born from Zeus's head fully armed, and the Parthenon on the Acropolis was built to house her statue. She contests Athens with Poseidon and wins by giving the olive tree. Direct use of the name is modern: it entered the American top hundred only in the 2020s.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #55 |
| 2023 | #60 |
| 2022 | #66 |
| 2021 | #69 |
| 2020 | #80 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Athena?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Athena?
- Athena (Greek goddess of wisdom)
- Athena Calderone (designer and author)
- Athena (Battlestar Galactica character)
what names are similar to Athena?
what names go well with Athena?
Sibling names that share Athena's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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