How Many People Are Named Fonnie?
An estimated 20 people in the United States have the first name Fonnie. It is used for both genders, with 79.0% female. The average bearer is 87 years old, and Fonnie peaked in popularity in 1919 with 14 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Fonnie as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Fonnie paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- With an average bearer age of 87, Fonnie is a vintage name most associated with earlier generations. Most living bearers were born before 1949.
- Fonnie is exceptionally rare. Fewer than 100 people with this name are estimated to be alive in the U.S. today.
Estimated Living Americans
20
About 1 in 17,137,717 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
79.0% confidence
Average Age
87
years old
Peak Year
1919
14 births
Total Registered
186
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Fonnie
Fonnie is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (21.0%) and females (79.0%). Out of 186 total births registered, 39 were male and 147 were female.
Fonnie as a male name
Ranked #3,052 in 1943
7 male births in 1943
Peak: 1943 (7 births)
Fonnie as a female name
Ranked #5,563 in 1950
5 female births in 1950
Peak: 1918 (11 births)
Fonnie in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 108 people with the first name Fonnie, which placed it at #52,287 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Fonnie was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 108 people with this name in that snapshot, 37.0% were male and 63.0% were female. That is less heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 79.0% female.
Census Count
108
people with this name
Census Rank
#52,287
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.04
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Fonnie was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (72.00%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (14.00%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (7.00%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Fonnie in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Fonnie.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 72.00% | 72 |
| Black | 14.00% | 14 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 7.00% | 7 |
| Two or More Races | 5.00% | 5 |
| Hispanic | 2.00% | 2 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Fonnie: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Fonnie span from the 1900s to the 1950s, covering 6 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1910s, when 59 babies were registered. Fonnie has declined significantly from its peak in the 1910s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Fonnie by Decade
How has Fonnie tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Fonnie by State
Fonnie + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Fonnie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Fonnie
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
Fonnie: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fonnie?
We estimate approximately 20 people named Fonnie are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 17,137,717 Americans share this first name.
Is Fonnie a common name?
Fonnie is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 39.9% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 186 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Fonnie most popular?
Fonnie reached peak popularity in 1919, when 14 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Fonnie is approximately 87 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Fonnie in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 108 people with the first name Fonnie. That placed it at #52,287 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.04 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Fonnie was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Fonnie?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Fonnie was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 37.0% male and 63.0% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Fonnie?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Fonnie was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (72.00%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (14.00%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (7.00%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Fonnie a female name?
Fonnie is predominantly female. 79.0% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Fonnie have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Fonnie peaked in 1919, and the average living bearer is about 87 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Fonnie Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Fonnie Smith, Fonnie Johnson, Fonnie Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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