Blade
A name derived from the Old English word "blæd," meaning a sharp cutting instrument or leaf.
Name Census estimates that about 2,069 living Americans carry the first name Blade. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Blade today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Blade births was 2002 (112 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Blade. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Blade with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
2.1K
~ 1 in 165,662 Americans
Peak year
2002
112 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,196
Tracked since 1982
Census
Blade in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 1,843 people with the first name Blade, which placed it at #7,996 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#7,996
National first-name rank
People counted
1.8K
1,843 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.6
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
76.1% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Blade
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Blade is White at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (7.7%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Blade described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Blade at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.1% · 1,403
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 151
- Two or more races7.7% · 142
- Black or African American3.7% · 68
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 52
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 27
Popularity
Blade: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Blade from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 758 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Blade 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 Blade during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Blades live
The SSA's state-level files cover 17 states and territories. Texas, Ohio, Louisiana recorded the most babies named Blade, while Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 34 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Blade
The name Blade is an English word that originated as a nickname derived from the Old English word "blæd," meaning "blade of a sword or leaf." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, a time when swords and knives were essential tools for survival and warfare.
In its earliest known use, the name Blade was often given to children born to families of skilled blacksmiths or warriors, symbolizing strength, courage, and perseverance. It was a name that embodied the qualities desired in a warrior or a protector.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blade can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Bladelinus," referring to a landowner in the county of Shropshire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Blade. One of the most famous was Blade Moor, a renowned English swordsmith who lived in the 16th century. His exceptional craftsmanship earned him widespread recognition, and his swords were highly sought after by noblemen and royalty alike.
Another significant figure was Blade Randolph (1589-1652), a renowned English navigator and explorer who participated in several voyages to the New World. His detailed accounts of the landscapes, flora, and fauna he encountered played a crucial role in expanding knowledge about the Americas during that era.
In the realm of literature, Blade Browning (1712-1786) was an acclaimed English poet and playwright whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. His most celebrated work, "The Pastoral Odes," is considered a masterpiece of 18th-century poetry.
The name Blade also found its way into the annals of military history. Blade Roberts (1835-1914) was a highly decorated British general who served in numerous campaigns, including the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. His leadership and tactical brilliance earned him numerous accolades and a place in the history books.
Finally, Blade Whitaker (1901-1988) was a pioneering American aviator and test pilot who played a crucial role in the development of modern aviation. His daring exploits and contributions to the field of aeronautics have secured his place as a legend in the history of flight.
These notable individuals, spanning various eras and fields, exemplify the strength, resilience, and determination associated with the name Blade, solidifying its place in the annals of history as a name of distinction and enduring significance.
People
Blade + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Blade 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
Blade: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Blade?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,069 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Blade 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 165,662 US residents.
Is Blade a common name?
We classify Blade as "Rare". It ranks above 93.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,103 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Blade most popular?
The single biggest year for Blade was 2002, when 112 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Blade is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Blade in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 1,843 people with the name Blade, or 0.61 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #7,996 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Blade in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Blade?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Blade leans strongly male. 1,820 people counted with this name were male (98.9%), compared with 20 female bearers (1.1%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Blade?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Blade is White at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (7.7%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Blade most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Blade in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (1,403 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Blade in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Blade a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Blade 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 Blade still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Blade 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 Blade 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.
How many people have the name Blade?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.