Fame
Derived from the Latin word "fama", meaning widespread renown or acclaim.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Fame. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 58.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Fame today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fame births was 1981 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fame. 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 Fame. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1981
7 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2023 SSA rank
#8,390
Tracked since 1981
Gender
Gender distribution for Fame
Fame is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 12 total registrations, 5 (41.7%) were male and 7 (58.3%) were female.
Fame as a male name
- Ranked #12,812 in 2023
- 5 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (5 births)
Fame as a female name
- Ranked #8,390 in 1981
- 7 female births in 1981
- Peak: 1981 (7 births)
Popularity
Fame: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fame from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 7 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Fame remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fame 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 Fame 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 Fame
The given name Fame is a unique and intriguing choice, with a rich history and etymology. This name has its roots in Latin, deriving from the word "fama," which translates to "fame" or "renown." It is believed to have originated in ancient Rome, where fame and reputation held great significance in society.
In classical Latin literature, the concept of "fama" was personified as a goddess, representing the spread of rumor and the enduring legacy of great deeds. This concept was explored in works such as Virgil's Aeneid and Ovid's Metamorphoses, where the characters grappled with the pursuit of fame and the consequences of their actions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fame can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who documented the life of a Roman consul named Gaius Fabius Maximus Fame in the 3rd century BCE. This individual was renowned for his military strategies and his role in defending Rome against the Carthaginian general Hannibal during the Second Punic War.
Throughout history, the name Fame has been associated with individuals who have achieved remarkable accomplishments and left a lasting impact. One notable figure was Fame Flaminius, a Roman general and statesman who lived in the 2nd century BCE. He was responsible for the construction of the famous Flaminian Way, a crucial road connecting Rome to the Adriatic coast.
In the realm of literature, the name Fame is closely tied to the English poet and playwright William Fame, born in 1564. His works, including the narrative poem "The Rape of Lucrece" and the tragic play "Romeo and Juliet," have become enduring classics and have cemented his fame as one of the greatest writers in the English language.
Another figure of historical significance who bore the name Fame was Fame Despreaux, a 17th-century French poet and critic. He was considered a master of poetic satire and played a crucial role in shaping the literary landscape of his time through his influential critiques and artistic principles.
In more recent times, the name Fame has been associated with Fame Moore, an American artist and sculptor born in 1923. Her works, which often explored themes of feminism and social justice, gained widespread recognition and were displayed in prominent museums and galleries around the world.
While these are just a few examples, the name Fame has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, each leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields and contributing to the enduring legacy of this remarkable name.
People
Fame + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fame as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fame: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fame?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fame 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Fame a common name?
We classify Fame as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fame most popular?
The single biggest year for Fame was 1981, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fame is about 28 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 Fame in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Fame a female name?
Yes, 58.3% of people registered as Fame 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 Fame still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Fame 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 Fame 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 have the name Fame?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Fame, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.