Dud
An informal term suggesting something unsatisfactory, disappointing, or worthless.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Dud. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dud today is around 92 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dud births was 1919 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dud. 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 Dud is about 92 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Duds were born before 1944.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dud. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1919
7 babies that year
Average age
92
years old
1944 SSA rank
#3,560
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Dud: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dud from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 7 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Dud remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dud 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 Dud 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 Dud
The name Dud originated in the Middle English language during the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dudd," which means "a manly person" or "a stout individual." The name was initially popular among the Anglo-Saxon communities in England and later spread to other parts of the British Isles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dud can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Dud in the county of Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was in use among the English nobility during the Norman conquest of England.
In the 14th century, the name Dud appeared in several literary works, including Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales." One of the characters in the famous collection of stories is referred to as "Dud the Plowman," indicating that the name was also used by commoners and peasants during that period.
During the Renaissance era, the name Dud gained popularity among artists and intellectuals. One notable figure was Dud Dudley (1599-1684), an English metallurgist and inventor who pioneered new techniques for smelting iron ore. His contributions to the field of metallurgy were significant, and he is considered a key figure in the Industrial Revolution.
Another prominent individual named Dud was Dud Camlet (1570-1627), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He was known for his expertise in legal matters and played a crucial role in shaping the laws of the time.
In the 18th century, Dud Dudley (1739-1820), a British philanthropist and social reformer, made significant contributions to the betterment of society. He founded several charitable organizations and worked tirelessly to improve the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged.
During the Victorian era, the name Dud was associated with a sense of resilience and strength. One notable figure was Dud Avery (1813-1891), a British explorer and adventurer who embarked on numerous expeditions to remote regions of the world, including the Arctic and Africa.
While the name Dud has declined in popularity in recent times, it still holds historical significance and has left an indelible mark on various aspects of human endeavor, from literature and art to science and exploration.
People
Dud + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dud 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
Dud: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dud?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dud 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Dud a common name?
We classify Dud as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dud most popular?
The single biggest year for Dud was 1919, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dud is about 92 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 Dud in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dud a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dud 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 Dud still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dud 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 Dud 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 share the name Dud?
Find out how many people have the name Dud on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.