Aldrich
Of Old English origin: old, rich, and leader.
Name Census estimates that about 388 living Americans carry the first name Aldrich. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Aldrich today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aldrich births was 2017 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aldrich. 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.
People living today
388
~ 1 in 883,387 Americans
Peak year
2017
18 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,906
Tracked since 1909
Popularity
Aldrich: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aldrich from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 97 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Aldrich remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aldrich 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 Aldrich during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aldrichs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Aldrich
The name Aldrich has its origins in the Old English language and dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the elements "ald" meaning "old" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power," essentially translating to "old ruler" or "venerable leader."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aldrich can be found in the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as a personal name as well as a place name, indicating its widespread use at the time.
In the 11th century, Aldrich was a relatively common given name among the Anglo-Saxon nobility and aristocracy. It carried connotations of wisdom, experience, and authority, making it a desirable name for those in positions of power.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Aldrich continued to be used, though its popularity waxed and waned over the centuries. Notable individuals bearing the name include Aldrich, Earl of Berkshire (1056-1120), a powerful nobleman during the reign of King Henry I, and Aldrich of Malmesbury (c. 1090-1160), a Benedictine monk and chronicler.
During the Renaissance period, the name Aldrich saw a resurgence in popularity, particularly among the intellectual and artistic circles of Europe. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Aldrich Casaubon (1559-1614), a renowned French scholar and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of classical literature.
In the 17th century, Aldrich was the name of a prominent English churchman and academic, Henry Aldrich (1647-1710). He served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and was instrumental in the design and construction of several notable buildings within the university.
Another notable figure was the American inventor and engineer Aldrich Barnes (1783-1858), who played a crucial role in the development of early textile machinery and held numerous patents for his innovative designs.
Throughout the centuries, the name Aldrich has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, politicians, and military leaders. While its popularity has ebbed and flowed over time, it remains a name with a rich historical legacy and a strong connection to its Old English roots.
People
Aldrich + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aldrich 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
Aldrich: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aldrich?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 388 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aldrich 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 883,387 US residents.
Is Aldrich a common name?
We classify Aldrich as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 608 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aldrich most popular?
The single biggest year for Aldrich was 2017, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aldrich is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Aldrich a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aldrich in the SSA data are male. 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.