Estus
Of Latin origin, a variation of Aestus meaning summer heat.
Name Census estimates that about 30 living Americans carry the first name Estus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Estus today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Estus births was 1919 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Estus. 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 Estus is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Estus' were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Estus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
30
~ 1 in 11,425,145 Americans
Peak year
1919
12 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1956 SSA rank
#3,656
Tracked since 1905
Popularity
Estus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Estus from the 1900s through to the 1950s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 57 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Estus 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 Estus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Estus' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Estus
The name Estus is an ancient Celtic name with origins dating back to the first century BCE. It is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "ɸesti," meaning "truth" or "honesty." The name was popular among the Celtic tribes that inhabited modern-day Britain, Ireland, and parts of France during the Roman conquest of the region.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Estus can be found in the Gaulish inscriptions from the Roman era. These inscriptions, discovered in various archaeological sites across Europe, often included the name Estus as a personal identifier, suggesting its widespread use among the Celtic population.
In the 5th century CE, the name Estus appeared in the "Historia Brittonum," an influential historical account of the British Isles written by the Welsh monk Nennius. The text mentions an individual named Estus who was a notable leader during the period of conflict between the Britons and the invading Anglo-Saxons.
During the Middle Ages, the name Estus gained popularity among Christian communities, particularly in Ireland and Wales. It is believed that some early Christian saints or missionaries may have borne this name, contributing to its widespread adoption among the faithful.
One notable figure named Estus was a 7th-century Irish abbot and scholar, known for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Celtic literature and philosophy. His exact birth and death dates are unknown, but historical records suggest he lived and worked in the monastic communities of Ireland during the Golden Age of Irish monasticism.
In the 11th century, an English nobleman named Estus de Warenne accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He later became a prominent landowner and was granted estates in various parts of the country, establishing a lineage that carried the name Estus for several generations.
Another significant figure named Estus was a 13th-century Welsh bard and poet, known for his intricate verses and praise songs dedicated to the Welsh princes of the time. Although his exact dates are uncertain, scholars estimate that he lived and composed his works during the tumultuous period of the Welsh Wars of Independence against the English crown.
Throughout history, the name Estus has been associated with individuals who embodied the virtues of honesty, integrity, and truthfulness, reflecting its Celtic roots and meaning. While its popularity has waned in modern times, the name remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Celtic peoples and their enduring influence on the nomenclature of Europe.
People
Estus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Estus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Estus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Estus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 30 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Estus 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 11,425,145 US residents.
Is Estus a common name?
We classify Estus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 46.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 188 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Estus most popular?
The single biggest year for Estus was 1919, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Estus is about 84 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 Estus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Estus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Estus 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 Estus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Estus 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 Estus 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 Estus?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.