Birt
A medieval English diminutive of the masculine name Robert.
Name Census estimates that about 21 living Americans carry the first name Birt. It is a predominantly male name (98.2% of registrations). The average person named Birt today is around 90 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Birt births was 1916 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Birt. 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
- • The typical person named Birt is about 90 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Birts were born before 1946.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Birt. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
21
~ 1 in 16,321,635 Americans
Peak year
1916
13 babies that year
Average age
90
years old
1953 SSA rank
#3,689
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Birt
Birt leans heavily male at 98.2% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Birt as a male name
- Ranked #3,859 in 1953
- 5 male births in 1953
- Peak: 1916 (13 births)
Birt as a female name
- Ranked #3,689 in 1914
- 5 female births in 1914
- Peak: 1914 (5 births)
Popularity
Birt: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Birt from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 76 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Birt 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 Birt during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Birts live
Origin
Meaning and history of Birt
The name Birt is an English surname that has been used as a given name, primarily in the United States. The origins of the name can be traced back to the Middle English word "brid," meaning "bird." It is believed to have originally been an occupational surname for someone who bred or kept birds.
In the 13th century, variations of the name, such as "Brid" and "Bryd," appeared in historical records in England. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was John Brid, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Staffordshire in 1227.
While the name Birt did not appear in any significant ancient texts or religious scriptures, it was used by several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded examples was Birt Acres (1572-1654), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
Another prominent figure was Birt Acres (1783-1856), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. He was awarded the Naval General Service Medal for his service.
In the 19th century, Birt Acres (1831-1908) was a British civil engineer and surveyor who worked on various projects in India, including the construction of railways and irrigation systems.
Birt Stephenson (1859-1944) was an American lawyer and judge who served as a justice on the Supreme Court of Oklahoma from 1917 to 1937.
In the 20th century, Birt Acres (1905-1988) was a British journalist and author who worked for the BBC and wrote several books on various topics, including travel and gardening.
While the name Birt has been used as a given name throughout history, it has never been particularly common. Its usage has been limited primarily to English-speaking countries, with a stronger presence in the United States due to its adoption as a given name. However, it remains a unique and distinctive name with a rich historical background rooted in the English language and culture.
People
Birt + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Birt as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Birt: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Birt?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 21 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Birt 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 16,321,635 US residents.
Is Birt a common name?
We classify Birt as "Very Rare". It ranks above 40.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 273 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Birt most popular?
The single biggest year for Birt was 1916, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Birt is about 90 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Birt in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Birt a male name?
Yes, 98.2% of people registered as Birt 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.
Is Birt still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Birt in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Birt can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Birt?
You can see how many people have the name Birt on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.