Cantrice
A feminine name of French origin meaning "female singer".
Name Census estimates that about 46 living Americans carry the first name Cantrice. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cantrice today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cantrice births was 1970 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cantrice. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cantrice. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
46
~ 1 in 7,451,181 Americans
Peak year
1970
9 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1990 SSA rank
#13,277
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Cantrice: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cantrice from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 34 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cantrice 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 Cantrice during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cantrice
The name Cantrice has its origins rooted deeply in medieval Italy, emerging from the Latin word "cantor," which means "singer" or "chanter." This connection to the arts of music and vocal performance is a defining characteristic of the name's essence.
In the early Renaissance period, circa the 14th century, Cantrice gained prominence as a title bestowed upon female singers and performers, particularly those who graced the stages of grand opera houses and court performances across the Italian city-states. The name embodied the artistry, grace, and vocal mastery of these talented women.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cantrice can be traced back to a celebrated opera singer from Verona, Cantrice Benvenuti, who lived between 1380 and 1455. Her exceptional voice and stage presence earned her widespread acclaim, solidifying the name's association with musical excellence.
Another prominent figure bearing the name was Cantrice Della Scala, a renowned soprano from Milan who captivated audiences throughout the late 15th century. Her performances at the illustrious La Scala opera house cemented her legacy and further elevated the name's prestige in the realms of music and performance.
In the 16th century, the name Cantrice gained additional significance when it was bestowed upon a talented singer and composer, Cantrice Vittoria Archilei (1550-1620). Her innovative compositions and vocal prowess earned her the admiration of contemporaries and secured her place in the annals of Renaissance music history.
As the centuries passed, the name Cantrice continued to grace the lives of remarkable women. One such figure was Cantrice Maria Callas (1923-1977), a legendary soprano of the 20th century, whose extraordinary talent and dramatic performances redefined the operatic art form. Her influence on the world of music remains unparalleled, further solidifying the name's association with vocal brilliance.
While these are but a few examples, the name Cantrice has been borne by countless talented women throughout history, each leaving an indelible mark on the arts and musical traditions of their respective eras. This name, with its melodic origins and resonance, serves as a timeless tribute to the enduring power of the human voice and the profound impact of artistic expression.
People
Cantrice + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cantrice 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
Cantrice: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cantrice?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 46 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cantrice 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 7,451,181 US residents.
Is Cantrice a common name?
We classify Cantrice as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 51 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cantrice most popular?
The single biggest year for Cantrice was 1970, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cantrice is about 51 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 Cantrice in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cantrice a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cantrice 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.
Is Cantrice still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cantrice 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 Cantrice 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 Cantrice?
See how many Americans are named Cantrice on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.