Is Minerva a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Minerva is commonly used as a Girl name.

How popular is Minerva?

It’s currently ranked #876 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

How do you pronounce Minerva?

mih-NUR-vah · IPA: //mɪˈnɜːrvə//

Minerva Girl

Popularity: #876 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Pronunciationmih-NUR-vah / /mɪˈnɜːrvə/

Latin; Roman

Meaning

Latin: 'of the mind' or 'intellect'

Historical & Cultural Background

Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and the arts. She is often equated with the Greek goddess Athena. The name has been used in various cultures, particularly in ancient Rome, where Minerva was revered as a protector of the state and a symbol of knowledge. The name has persisted through history and is often associated with intelligence and learning.

Trend Summary

The name Minerva has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., with a notable presence in the early 20th century and a resurgence in recent years.

Similar Names

Mirella Miranda Melina

Variants

Minne
Minnie

International Variants

Minerva (Spanish)
Minerve (French)
Minervina (Italian)

Famous people named Minerva

Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series, known for being the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Minerva Teichert was an American artist recognized for her paintings depicting scenes from the Book of Mormon.

Minerva Mirabal was a Dominican political activist who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo.

Minerva McGonagall is portrayed by Maggie Smith in the Harry Potter film series.

Fictional characters named Minerva

Minerva McGonagall is a character in the Harry Potter series, serving as a professor and head of Gryffindor House.

Minerva is a character in the animated series 'The Owl House', known for her role as a mentor.

Sibling Suggestions

Miriam Mira Mina Mabel

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Minerva was first seen in the United States in 1880. Minerva has ranked as high as #860 nationally, which occurred in 1955, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. In the past 5 years the name Minerva has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Minerva (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	9	47%
FL	5	26%
OH	5	26%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	63
1881	53
1882	56
1883	52
1884	73
1885	77
1886	65
1887	64
1888	79
1889	79
1890	89
1891	59
1892	82
1893	61
1894	82
1895	75
1896	98
1897	74
1898	79
1899	82
1900	101
1901	84
1902	88
1903	76
1904	64
1905	88
1906	84
1907	63
1908	85
1909	95
1910	100
1911	114
1912	111
1913	145
1914	139
1915	205
1916	181
1917	211
1918	200
1919	185
1920	204
1921	202
1922	197
1923	155
1924	183
1925	185
1926	143
1927	157
1928	153
1929	159
1930	157
1931	138
1932	146
1933	125
1934	126
1935	101
1936	104
1937	116
1938	121
1939	114
1940	105
1941	118
1942	123
1943	150
1944	155
1945	112
1946	143
1947	130
1948	147
1949	154
1950	144
1951	168
1952	171
1953	195
1954	185
1955	221
1956	193
1957	212
1958	206
1959	179
1960	206
1961	217
1962	158
1963	179
1964	148
1965	154
1966	128
1967	155
1968	116
1969	124
1970	127
1971	120
1972	109
1973	127
1974	91
1975	100
1976	125
1977	95
1978	74
1979	102
1980	97
1981	112
1982	90
1983	76
1984	64
1985	82
1986	84
1987	71
1988	70
1989	91
1990	90
1991	81
1992	84
1993	67
1994	72
1995	61
1996	58
1997	56
1998	52
1999	48
2000	51
2001	45
2002	55
2003	61
2004	58
2005	59
2006	65
2007	72
2008	48
2009	41
2010	37
2011	38
2012	39
2013	46
2014	47
2015	51
2016	65
2017	68
2018	82
2019	84
2020	69
2021	84
2022	83
2023	93
2024	74