Royal enthusiasts were overjoyed with the news that Princess Beatrice welcomed her second child into the world on January 29.
The 36-year-old Royal chose the name Athena for her daughter, who weighed just 4lb 5oz after arriving several weeks prematurely.
Athena was born on January 22 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, marking a joyous addition to Beatrice’s family with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. She is reportedly in good health and The Palace has shared that the King, Queen, and other royals are thrilled about the safe arrival of the new baby.
The choice of Athena may well inspire a surge in popularity for the name among new parents. However, one expectant mother expressed reservations about adopting such a name, turning to the Reddit community r/namenerds for advice.
She wrote: “I love goddess names, but I’m not sure if it comes off as ‘too much’ if you know what I’m saying.”
She sought opinions on the name Athena and asked for alternative suggestions for goddess-inspired names. Another user echoed her concerns, commenting: “I feel like the name Athena is so commonly used in the Greek culture, and relatively rare in other cultures, that I’d assume she is Greek? Not necessarily a bad thing! But it is a lot of name with a lot of connotations and I could see a kid being annoyed by it or feeling like it doesn’t suit them.”
Another person expressed their hesitation about the name Athena, adding: “I don’t know if I would use it because it sounds so Greek to me and I’m not Greek, but I think it’s becoming more mainstream!”
However, several people in the discussion reassured the original poster that Athena was indeed a charming choice. One shared a personal connection, stating: “This is actually my little sister’s name. Our family is definitely not Greek, but my dad is a fan of the classics and I guess my parents thought the name was empowering. My sister has certainly always been happy with it. She understood at a young age that she was named after a goddess and she’s always been very proud of it.”
Others echoed this sentiment, with one person admitting: “I love it, and regret not using it with my oldest because it would suit her beautifully.” Another revealed their familial connection to the name, saying: “My niece has the name and she’s the sweetest. It’s a beautiful name.”
Athena, as noted by The Bump, carries its roots from Greek mythology. Named after the goddess Athena, it represents wisdom, warfare, and artisanship – a feminine name steeped in ancient tradition and time-honoured power.