Draper
One who sells or deals in cloth or dry goods.
Name Census estimates that about 411 living Americans carry the first name Draper. It is a predominantly male name (98.9% of registrations). The average person named Draper today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Draper births was 1980 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Draper. 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
411
~ 1 in 833,952 Americans
Peak year
1980
46 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,078
Tracked since 1921
Gender
Gender distribution for Draper
Draper leans heavily male at 98.9% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Draper as a male name
- Ranked #10,078 in 2022
- 7 male births in 2022
- Peak: 1980 (46 births)
Draper as a female name
- Ranked #15,753 in 2020
- 5 female births in 2020
- Peak: 2020 (5 births)
Popularity
Draper: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Draper from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 130 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Draper 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 Draper during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Drapers live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama recorded the most babies named Draper, while Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Draper
The given name Draper has its origins in the Old English word "drapier", which referred to a person who made or sold cloth or clothing. This occupation-based name emerged in medieval England, where the textile industry played a significant role in the economy.
During the Middle Ages, the name Draper was commonly associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of woolen cloth and garments. As the name suggests, these individuals were skilled in draping and shaping fabrics, a crucial aspect of the clothing-making process.
Historically, the name Draper has been found in various records and documents from the 13th century onwards. For instance, in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a reference is made to a person named Walter le Drapier, indicating the early use of the name in its occupational context.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Draper was John Draper, a cloth merchant who lived in London during the 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Draper (c. 1370-1427), a renowned English wool merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers.
Throughout the centuries, the name Draper has been associated with several influential individuals. One such figure was William Draper (1721-1787), a British Army officer who served in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. He later became a noted writer and critic.
Another prominent individual was John William Draper (1811-1882), an American scientist, philosopher, and historian who made significant contributions to the fields of photochemistry and the history of science. His work, "History of the Conflict between Religion and Science," was widely influential.
In the realm of literature, Henry Draper (1837-1882) was a pioneering American astronomer and physician. He is best known for his groundbreaking work in astrophotography, capturing the first detailed photographs of the spectra of celestial objects.
Additionally, the name Draper has been associated with individuals in various other fields, such as the American architect Edmund Draper (1877-1959), who designed several notable buildings in Philadelphia, and the British actor John Draper (1902-1983), known for his roles in numerous films and television series.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the given name Draper, reflecting its origins as an occupational name that evolved into a respected personal name over time.
People
Draper + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Draper as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Draper: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Draper?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 411 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Draper 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 833,952 US residents.
Is Draper a common name?
We classify Draper as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 437 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Draper most popular?
The single biggest year for Draper was 1980, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Draper is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Draper a male name?
Yes, 98.9% of people registered as Draper 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.