Gender Feminine
Scripts Ἀθηνᾶ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced Pron. A-TEH-NA(Classical Greek) ə-THEE-nə(English)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.

The daughter of Zeus, she was said to have sprung from his head fully grown after he impregnated and swallowed her mother Metis. Athena is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

Related Names

VariantAthene(Greek Mythology)
Other Languages & CulturesAthina(Greek) Afina(Russian) Atenea(Spanish) Afina(Ukrainian)
User SubmissionsAþena, Athéna

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   natural   wholesome   strong   refined   strange   complex   serious  

Name Days

Greece: September 1

Images

Sculpture of the goddess AthenaSculpture of the goddess Athena

Categories

Entry updated May 29, 2020