Meaning and history
This name derives from the Greek Ἀλθαία (Althaia), possibly related to Greek ἄλθος (althos), meaning “healing.” In Greek mythology, Althea was the mother of Meleager; after his birth, she was told he would die when a burning log on her hearth was completely consumed. She put out the log and locked it in a chest, but years later, in anger, she relit it and so caused her son’s death.
20062006: 57 births, rank #2,978
2007: 57 births, rank #3,047
2008: 59 births, rank #2,957
2009: 75 births, rank #2,510
2010: 81 births, rank #2,341
20112011: 72 births, rank #2,511
2012: 73 births, rank #2,495
2013: 101 births, rank #1,953
2014: 92 births, rank #2,096
2015: 130 births, rank #1,643
20162016: 128 births, rank #1,667
2017: 154 births, rank #1,460
2018: 162 births, rank #1,386
2019: 167 births, rank #1,355
2020: 156 births, rank #1,398
20212021: 145 births, rank #1,476
2022: 175 births, rank #1,343
2023: 167 births, rank #1,348
2024: 160 births, rank #1,398
20252025: 171 births, rank #1,299
Althea rose from #931 to #888 for girls between 1971 and 1972. Its highest annual birth count came in 1956, with 388 births.