Fennec
A name derived from the word for a small, fox-like desert creature.
Name Census estimates that about 121 living Americans carry the first name Fennec. It is a predominantly male name (95.9% of registrations). The average person named Fennec today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fennec births was 2022 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fennec. 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
121
~ 1 in 2,832,680 Americans
Peak year
2022
27 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,948
Tracked since 2015
Gender
Gender distribution for Fennec
Fennec leans heavily male at 95.9% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Fennec as a male name
- Ranked #6,948 in 2024
- 12 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (27 births)
Fennec as a female name
- Ranked #15,954 in 2023
- 5 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (5 births)
Popularity
Fennec: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fennec from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 82 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fennec 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 Fennec 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 Fennec
The name Fennec is derived from the Arabic word "fanaaq," which means "fox." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East and North Africa, where the fennec fox, a small desert-dwelling fox species, is native. The name gained popularity as a given name in the late 20th century, likely due to a growing interest in nature and wildlife conservation.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Fennec dates back to the 13th century, when it was mentioned in the writings of Arab traveler and scholar Ibn Battuta. He described encountering the fennec fox during his travels across the Sahara Desert. However, it was not until much later that the name began to be used as a given name for humans.
In modern times, the name Fennec has been embraced by people from various cultural backgrounds, particularly those with an appreciation for nature and wildlife. While not a common name, it has been given to both male and female children.
One notable individual named Fennec is Fennec, a French street artist known for creating intricate murals and artworks inspired by nature and wildlife. Another person with this name is Fennec Okyere, a Ghanaian activist and founder of an organization dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability and wildlife conservation in West Africa.
Fennec Shand, a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, is another example of the use of this name. Introduced in the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian," Fennec Shand is a skilled mercenary and assassin, adding a touch of mystery and intrigue to the name.
It is worth noting that while the name Fennec has gained some popularity in recent decades, it remains relatively uncommon. Its unique nature and connection to the natural world have made it an appealing choice for parents seeking a distinctive and meaningful name for their child.
People
Fennec + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fennec 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
Fennec: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fennec?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 121 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fennec 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 2,832,680 US residents.
Is Fennec a common name?
We classify Fennec as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 122 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fennec most popular?
The single biggest year for Fennec was 2022, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fennec is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fennec a male name?
Yes, 95.9% of people registered as Fennec 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.