Cage
Meaning an enclosure for birds or small animals.
Name Census estimates that about 986 living Americans carry the first name Cage. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cage today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cage births was 2012 (60 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cage. 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
986
~ 1 in 347,621 Americans
Peak year
2012
60 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,398
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Cage: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cage from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 436 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
Cage 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 Cage during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cages live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Texas, California, Ohio recorded the most babies named Cage, while Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cage
The given name Cage has its origins in the Old French word "cage," which means "a cage or enclosure for birds or other small animals." This word can be traced back to the Latin word "cavea," meaning "a hollow or cavity."
The name Cage is believed to have emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, likely referring to someone who lived near or worked with cages or animal enclosures. Over time, the surname became adopted as a given name, particularly in English-speaking countries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cage can be found in the 14th century, when a man named John Cage was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, England, in the year 1317.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cage. One of the most famous was the American avant-garde composer and artist John Cage (1912-1992), known for his pioneering works in experimental music and his innovative approach to composition.
Another notable figure was Henry Cage (c. 1580-1666), an English colonist and leader in the Virginia Colony. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and played a significant role in the early development of the colony.
In literature, Cage Hendricks was the name of a character in the novel "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, published in 1939. The character was a member of the Joad family and represented the struggles faced by migrant workers during the Great Depression.
The name Cage has also been associated with athletics. Cage Brewer (born 1986) is a former American football player who played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals.
Additionally, Cage Baker (born 1987) is a professional basketball player from the United States who has played in various leagues, including the NBA G League and international competitions.
While the name Cage may not be as common as some other given names, it has a rich history and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, from music and literature to sports and exploration.
People
Cage + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cage as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cage: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cage?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 986 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cage 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 347,621 US residents.
Is Cage a common name?
We classify Cage as "Very Rare". It ranks above 90% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 997 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cage most popular?
The single biggest year for Cage was 2012, when 60 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cage is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cage a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cage 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.