Athena is a feminine given name of

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

origin, often used in reference to the Greco-Roman goddess

Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...

, the goddess of

wisdom Wisdom, also known as sapience, is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good judgment to navigate life’s complexities. It is often associated with insight, discernment, and ethics in decision-making. Throughout history, wisdom ha ...

strategic Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "troop leadership; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art o ...

warfare War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of State (polity), states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or betwe ...

, and

handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

Usage

Athena was among the top 10 names for newborn girls in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

in 2022. The name has been among the top 1,000 names for girls in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

since the mid-1950s and was the 76th most popular name for newborn American girls in 2023. It has been one of the 500 most popular names for girls in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

since 2012 and was the 104th most popular name for newborn British girls in 2023. It has also been well-used in recent years in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. The popularity of mythological names also increased in use for babies born during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. People with this given name include:

Persons

;Stagenamed "Athena" *

the

Gladiator A gladiator ( , ) was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their ...

, stagename of Karenjeet Kaur Bains *

Athena Andreadis Athena Andreadis is a musician. Career She was a featured vocalist on Leonard Cohen's final record '' You Want It Darker''. She contributed backing vocals for the song "Traveling Light." Discography ''Breathe With Me'' ''Breathe With Me'' is ...

, aka ''Athena'', an Anglo-Greek musician *

Athena Tibi or Athena Tibi is a Philippines, Filipino singer, YouTuber, stage actress and movie actress from Manila, Philippines and raised in Saitama, Saitama, Saitama, Japan. She is best known for her role as Kristine Santos in the 2009 film ''A Journe ...

, aka ''Athena'', a Filipino singer & actress based in Japan *

Athena (wrestler) Adrienne Palmer (née Reese; born August 31, 1988) is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Athena. She primarily appears in AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where she is the ...

, ring name of U.S. pro-wrestler Adrienne (Reese) Palmer ;Given named "Athena" * Athena Aktipis, U.S. psychologist *

, an Anglo-Greek musician * Athena Cage (born 1970), U.S. singer * Athena Chu (born 1971), Hongkong actress * Athena Coustenis (born 1961), French astrophysicist * Athena Farrokhzad (born 1983), Iranian Swedish poet-playwright * Athena Finger, heir to cartoonist ''Bill Finger'', co-creator of Batman * Athena Marguerite Françoise Marie Glücksburg, Princess Athena of Denmark (born 2012) * Athena Imperial (born 1987), Filipina journalist *

Athena Karkanis Athena Karkanis (born September 7, 1981) is a Canadian television, film and voice actress. She played Grace Stone in the NBC/Netflix science fiction drama series '' Manifest'', and voiced Anne Maria in '' Total Drama''. Life and career Karkanis ...

(born 1981), Canadian actress * Athena Keen, former instructor at the American School of Ballet * Athena King, former journalist for the ''Naked News'' * Athena Kugblenu, British stand-up comedian and writer * Athena LaTocha, Lakota Amerindian artist * Athena Lee (markswoman), Philippine-American competition shooter *

Athena Lee Athena Lee (born Athena L. Bass; December 8, 1964) is an American drummer and actress. She is the younger sister of Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. Career Lee was born in Los Angeles County, California, the daughter of David Lee Thomas Bass ...

Atkins Kottak Bass (born 1964), U.S. musician * Athéna Locatelli (born 1991), French ice hockey player * Athena Loizides (born 1965), Greek Cypriot TV personality * Athena Lundberg (born 1986), PMOM January 2006 *

Athena McNinch Athena Eva Su McNinch (born December 28, 1997) is a Guamanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was Miss Universe Guam 2018, and represented Guam at the Miss International 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. Early life and education Athena has lived h ...

(born 1997), Guamanian-Taiwanese pageant queen *

Athena Manoukian Athena Manoukian ( ; ; born 22 May 1994) is a Greek singer and songwriter. She was set to Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Chains on You" prior to the contest's can ...

(born 1994), Greek-Armenian singer * Athena Michailidou (1918–2001), Greek actress * Athena Papas, U.S. dental scholar *

Athena Reich Athena Reich is a Canadian-American actor, writer, singer/songwriter, and Lady Gaga impersonator. Athena's journey to conceive using in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is documented in the Emmy nominated film ''Vegas Baby''. Career Athena Reich is know ...

, Canadian-American actress * Athena Salman, U.S. politician * Athena Sefat, U.S. physicist * Athena Starwoman (1945–2004), Australian psychic * Athena Tacha (born 1936), Greek artist *

(born 1988), Filipina singer and actress based in Japan * Athena Xenidou, Cypriot writer-director * Athena Lee Yen (born 1981), Taiwanese actress * Athina Markopoulou, Greek-American engineer

Mythological

(), Greco-Roman goddess **

Minerva Minerva (; ; ) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. She is also a goddess of warfare, though with a focus on strategic warfare, rather than the violence of gods such as Mars. Be ...

, Roman equivalent, sometimes called ''Athena'' **

Pallas Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress o ...

, aspect **

Athena Alea Alea (Ancient Greek: ) was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, prominent in Arcadian mythology, under which she was worshiped at Alea, Mantineia and Tegea. Alea was initially an independent goddess, but was eventually assimilated with At ...

, Greek aspect ** Athena Areia, Greek aspect ** Athena Alkidemos, Greek aspect

Fictional characters

* Athena, a mascot for the 2004 Summer Olympics, one of the trio of Athena, Phevos and Proteas *

Athena (DC Comics) The Olympian Gods are characters based upon classical mythology who appear primarily in ''Wonder Woman'', ''Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel'' and ''Aquaman'' comics. History Pre-Crisis era New era When a Godwave spilled forth from ...

, a DC Comics character and member of the Olympian Gods *

Athena (Marvel Comics) Athena is a fictional deity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Publication history Athena first appeared in '' The Mighty Thor'' #164 (May 1969), and was adapted fr ...

, a Marvel Comics character and member of the Olympian Gods *

Thena Thena (born Azura) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Martin A. Bursten and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared as Minerva in ''Red Raven Comics'' #1 (August 1940), but was later reintrod ...

, another Marvel Comics character who has gone by the name Athena, a member of the Eternals * Athena, an Image Comics character, Lily Nalin, and member of Bloodstrike * Athena, an owl character from the ''

Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty ''Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty'', officially shortened to ''RBUK'' (, ), is an American animated television series created by Rich Magallanes and based on a concept by Melissa Reale. It was co-developed by Magallanes and Mark Palmer. The seri ...

'' TV series * Athena (''The Little Mermaid''), Princess Ariel's mother in the Disney franchise * Athena, a Marvel UK character and member of the Warheads * Princess Athena, main character of the 1986 SNK video game ''

'' *

Athena Asamiya is a fictional character originally from the former SNK's 1987 video game ''Psycho Soldier''. An esper, Athena is a descendant of Athena (video game), Princess Athena from the earlier ''Athena (video game), Athena'' game. She later appears in '' ...

, a character in the video game ''Psycho Soldier'' and ''The King of Fighters'' series, described as a descendant of ''Princess Athena'' of the 1986 video game ''Athena'' * Athena, the first opponent of Godou Kusanagi in the manga/anime ''

Campione! is a Japanese light novel series written by and illustrated by . 21 volumes were published by Shueisha from May 2008 to November 2017, first under their Super Dash Bunko imprint (which was abolished in 2014) and then under their Dash X Bun ...

'' * "Athena", a codename for character Dana Mercer, a sister of protagonist of '' ROTOTYPE' * Athena (''Stargate''), a Goa'uld in the TV series ''Stargate SG-1'' *Athena the Gladiator, an important character from the ''

Borderlands A borderland or borderlands are the geographical space or zone around a territorial border. Borderland or borderlands may refer to: Places * Borderland, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in Mingo County, West Virginia * Borderland (elec ...

'' video game series *Lieutenant Athena, a bridge officer in the 1978–79 television series ''

Battlestar Galactica ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. It began with the original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel series, '' Galactica 1980'', a line of book adaptat ...

'' ** Number Eight (''Battlestar Galactica''), a Humanoid Cylon, with multiple copies, in the 2004 reboot of ''Battlestar Galactica'', one of whom is Sharon "Athena" Agathon. * Athena, an important character in the Sony PlayStation 2 game ''

God of War A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in polytheism, polytheistic religions. Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been portrayed in their ...

'' * Athena Cykes, a defense attorney from the ''Ace Attorney'' franchise * Athena Glory, a character from the animanga ''Aria'' * Athena Grant, LAPD sergeant on the TV series ''9-1-1'' * Athena Morrow, a character on the TV series ''Hvmans'' * Athena Tennousu, a character in the manga/anime ''Hayate the Combat Butler'' and the eponymous protagonist's first true love * Athena, a sentient artificial intelligence and a

legal person In law, a legal person is any person or legal entity that can do the things a human person is usually able to do in law – such as enter into contracts, lawsuit, sue and be sued, ownership, own property, and so on. The reason for the term "''le ...

in '' Sunstorm'' science fiction novel co-written by British writers

Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. Clarke co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A ...

and Stephen Baxter

Usage

Persons

Mythological

Fictional characters

Notes

See also