Fun Facts About the Name Aeneas
- 472 babies named Aeneas: U.S. records list 472 babies given the name Aeneas from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Aeneas Mean?
Aeneas is the Latin form of the Greek name Αἰνείας (Aineías), whose established meaning is "praised" or "praiseworthy." It is usually derived from the Greek verb αἰνέω (aineō), "to praise," and the related noun αἶνος (ainos), "praise, tale." The exact formation of the Greek name is not fully certain, but the praise derivation is the one normally given. In later literary tradition, especially Virgil's Aeneid, Aeneas was treated as a symbol of duty and Roman destiny; that is a symbolic interpretation, not the literal sense of the name.
Aeneas Name History & Origins
The Greek name Αἰνείας (Aineías) appears in early Greek epic. In the Iliad, Aineias is a Trojan prince, the son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite, and a leading warrior on the Trojan side. The poem includes a prophecy that he and his descendants will rule over the Trojans, a detail later writers developed in different directions.
The name also appears in the New Testament. In the Acts of the Apostles, a man named Aeneas in Lydda, paralyzed for eight years, is healed by Peter. Latin writers adopted the Greek name as Aeneas. Virgil's Aeneid, composed in the first century BCE, made him the central hero: he escapes Troy, journeys to Italy, and becomes the ancestor of the Romans through his son Ascanius, also called Iulus. This epic fixed the Latin form Aeneas in European literature and gave the name its lasting association with Rome's legendary origins.
As a personal name, Aeneas was used in the Latin West and later in European vernaculars, often as a learned or literary choice. In Scotland and Ireland, Aeneas was also used as an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Aonghas (Scottish Gaelic) or Aonghus (Irish). Those Gaelic names are not related to the Greek name; the two traditions simply came to share the same English form. In English, Aeneas has remained uncommon and is most familiar from classical literature and history.
How Popular is the Name Aeneas?
Aeneas has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2002. Its best rank was #2,559 in 2002.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,263 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #5,650 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #6,225 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #5,448 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2021 | #4,366 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #6,623 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #5,159 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #8,835 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #6,692 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #9,687 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #7,077 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #7,061 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #7,033 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #8,166 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #5,955 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #6,362 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #6,099 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #9,887 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #4,998 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #4,104 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #3,449 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #3,735 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2003 | #3,977 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2002 | #2,559 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2001 | #3,321 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2000 | #4,579 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #3,987 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #6,324 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #7,294 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #5,193 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #7,000 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Aeneas Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Aeneas's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Aeneas's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.