How Many People Are Named Gandalf?
An estimated 5 people in the United States have the first name Gandalf. It is almost exclusively a male name. The average bearer is 51 years old, and Gandalf peaked in popularity in 1970 with 5 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Gandalf 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 Gandalf paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Gandalf is exceptionally rare. Fewer than 100 people with this name are estimated to be alive in the U.S. today.
Estimated Living Americans
5
About 1 in 68,550,868 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
100.0% confidence
Average Age
51
years old
Peak Year
1970
5 births
Total Registered
5
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Gandalf
Gandalf is almost exclusively a male name. Out of 5 total births registered, 100.0% were male.
Gandalf as a male name
Ranked #4,973 in 1970
5 male births in 1970
Peak: 1970 (5 births)
Gandalf: Popularity Over Time
Gandalf by Decade
How has Gandalf 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.
| Decade | Total | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 5 | 0 | |
Gandalf + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Gandalf as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Gandalf
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
Gandalf: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gandalf?
We estimate approximately 5 people named Gandalf 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 68,550,868 Americans share this first name.
Is Gandalf a common name?
Gandalf is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 18.2% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 5 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Gandalf most popular?
Gandalf reached peak popularity in 1970, when 5 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Gandalf is approximately 51 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Gandalf 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.
Is Gandalf a male name?
Gandalf is predominantly male. 100.0% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Gandalf 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. Gandalf peaked in 1970, and the average living bearer is about 51 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Gandalf Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Gandalf Smith, Gandalf Johnson, Gandalf 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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