How Many People Are Named French?
An estimated 316 people in the United States have the first name French. It is predominantly male (99.1%). The average bearer is 71 years old, and French peaked in popularity in 1920 with 35 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of French as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, and state-by-state birth registrations. You can also check how many people share the full name French paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- With an average bearer age of 71, French is a vintage name most associated with earlier generations. Most living bearers were born before 1965.
Estimated Living Americans
316
About 1 in 1,084,666 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
99.1% confidence
Average Age
71
years old
Peak Year
1920
35 births
Total Registered
1,129
since 1880
Gender Distribution for French
French is almost exclusively a male name. Out of 1,129 total births registered, 99.1% were male.
French as a male name
Ranked #8,146 in 1999
7 male births in 1999
Peak: 1915 (31 births)
French as a female name
Ranked #5,261 in 1920
5 female births in 1920
Peak: 1918 (5 births)
French: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for French span from the 1880s to the 1990s, covering 12 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1920s, when 252 babies were registered. French has declined significantly from its peak in the 1920s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
French by Decade
How has French 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.
French by State
Birth registrations for French span all 4 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky. The lowest are in Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia. On average, about 60 Frenchs were registered per state.
French + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with French as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to French
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
French: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named French?
We estimate approximately 316 people named French 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 1,084,666 Americans share this first name.
Is French a common name?
French is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 79.8% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 1,129 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was French most popular?
French reached peak popularity in 1920, when 35 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named French is approximately 71 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
Is French a male name?
French is predominantly male. 99.1% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
How many French Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: French Smith, French Johnson, French 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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