Alaska
A feminine name coined from the Aleut language meaning "mainland" or "great land".
Name Census estimates that about 1,223 living Americans carry the first name Alaska. It is a predominantly female name (99.4% of registrations). The average person named Alaska today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alaska births was 2022 (110 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alaska. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Alaska is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 11 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 280,257 Americans
Peak year
2022
110 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2022 SSA rank
#2,274
Tracked since 1915
Gender
Gender distribution for Alaska
Out of the 1,240 babies given the name Alaska since 1880, 99.4% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Alaska as a male name
- Ranked #9,007 in 2022
- 8 male births in 2022
- Peak: 2022 (8 births)
Alaska as a female name
- Ranked #2,274 in 2024
- 81 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (107 births)
Popularity
Alaska: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alaska from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 487 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alaska by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Alaska during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alaskas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Alaska, while Washington, Virginia, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alaska
The given name Alaska is believed to have originated from the Aleut word "Alaxsxix," which means "the mainland" or "great land." This name is closely associated with the geographic region of Alaska, the largest state in the United States.
The name Alaska first gained prominence in the late 18th century when the region was explored and mapped by Russian expeditions. The Russian explorer Mikhail Gvozdev is credited with being the first to use the term "Alaska" in his records from 1732, referring to the Alaskan mainland.
In the early days, the name Alaska was primarily used to refer to the geographic region rather than as a personal name. However, as the area gained recognition and importance, the name gradually gained popularity as a given name, particularly among individuals with ties to the region or those who appreciated its rugged and untamed beauty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Alaska being used as a personal name dates back to the late 19th century. Alaska P. Davidson (1868-1934), a pioneer and businesswoman from Alaska, was one of the first individuals to bear the name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the given name Alaska, though it has remained relatively uncommon. Alaska Olga Vidor (1876-1957) was an American silent film actress who appeared in several films during the early 20th century.
Another noteworthy individual was Alaska Davidson (1898-1935), a Canadian-born author and journalist who wrote extensively about her experiences in the Alaskan wilderness. Her memoir, "Wilderness Wife," published in 1926, provided a vivid account of life in the remote regions of Alaska.
In more recent times, Alaska Thunderfuck (born 1984) is a drag performer and reality TV personality who gained fame as a contestant on the hit show "RuPaul's Drag Race." Her stage name is a playful homage to her birthplace, the state of Alaska.
The name Alaska has also been used in literature and popular culture, further contributing to its recognition and uniqueness. For example, Alaska Young is a character in the novel "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, published in 2005.
While the name Alaska remains relatively uncommon, it holds a distinct cultural and historical significance, evoking a sense of adventure, wilderness, and the vast, untamed landscapes of the northern frontier.
People
Alaska + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alaska as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Alaska: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alaska?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,223 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alaska going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 280,257 US residents.
Is Alaska a common name?
We classify Alaska as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,240 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alaska most popular?
The single biggest year for Alaska was 2022, when 110 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alaska is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alaska a female name?
Yes, 99.4% of people registered as Alaska in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.