Floss
A feminine name derived from the Dutch word for "linen thread".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Floss. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Floss today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Floss births was 1892 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Floss. 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 Floss. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1892
8 babies that year
Average age
-
1898 SSA rank
#1,797
Tracked since 1885
Popularity
Floss: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Floss from the 1880s through to the 1890s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1890s, with 18 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
Floss 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 Floss 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 Floss
The name Floss is believed to have originated from the Old English word "flors," which means "floor" or "ground." It is thought to have been used as a surname or descriptive name for someone who lived near or worked on the floor or ground level of a building.
In the Middle Ages, the name Floss was occasionally used as a feminine given name, although it was more commonly found as a surname. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Floss being used as a first name dates back to the 13th century, when a woman named Floss de Neville was mentioned in historical records from Yorkshire, England.
Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the given name Floss. In the 16th century, Floss de Bouchier (1500-1572) was a wealthy English landowner and philanthropist who founded several charitable institutions in her hometown of Coventry.
In the 19th century, Floss Huntingdon (1835-1905) was a pioneering American educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools for girls and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women.
Another notable figure was Floss Woodhill (1892-1976), a British aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United Kingdom. She participated in several air races and worked to promote the participation of women in aviation.
In the early 20th century, Floss Halsey (1901-1985) was an American artist and illustrator known for her work in children's books and magazines. Her whimsical illustrations captured the imagination of many young readers during her time.
Lastly, Floss Everett (1915-2003) was a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charitable organizations, particularly those focused on education and healthcare.
While the name Floss may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and has been borne by several remarkable individuals throughout the centuries, each leaving their mark in their respective fields.
People
Floss + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Floss 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
Floss: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Floss?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Floss 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 - US residents.
Is Floss a common name?
We classify Floss as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 28 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Floss most popular?
The single biggest year for Floss was 1892, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Floss is about 0 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 Floss in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Floss a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Floss 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 Floss still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Floss 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 Floss 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 Floss?
You can see how many Americans are named Floss on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.