How popular is the baby name Antigone in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Antigone.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Antigone


Posts that mention the name Antigone

Where did the baby name Antigone come from in 1962?

The character Antigone (played by actress Irene Papas) from the movie "Antigone" (1961).
The title character from “Antigone

The Greek name Antigone (pronounced an-TIH-guh-nee) first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1962:

  • 1964: unlisted
  • 1963: unlisted
  • 1962: 8 baby girls named Antigone [debut]
  • 1961: unlisted
  • 1960: unlisted

The ultimate origin is the Greek tragedy Antigone (441 B.C.), written by Sophocles.

But the thing that drew attention to the name in the early 1960s was the Greek-language movie Antigone (1961) — the first major theatrical film made of the story. The movie, which starred Greek actress Irene Papas as Antigone, won several film festival awards in 1961 and (I think) was first screened in the U.S. in mid-1962.

Where does the name come from? Two ancient Greek words: anti, meaning “against, opposite, in place of,” and gone, meaning “womb, childbirth, generation.” The intended meaning in Antigone’s case might be “in place of a mother,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Do you like the name Antigone? Do you think it could work for a modern-day baby?

Sources: