Fortune
Derived from the Latin word fortuna, symbolizing luck, chance, or prosperity.
Name Census estimates that about 470 living Americans carry the first name Fortune. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 61.4% of registrations being female. The average person named Fortune today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fortune births was 2021 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fortune. 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
470
~ 1 in 729,265 Americans
Peak year
2021
28 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,593
Tracked since 1915
Gender
Gender distribution for Fortune
Fortune is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 515 total registrations, 199 (38.6%) were male and 316 (61.4%) were female.
Fortune as a male name
- Ranked #9,245 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (14 births)
Fortune as a female name
- Ranked #8,593 in 2024
- 12 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2017 (15 births)
Popularity
Fortune: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fortune from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 149 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Fortune remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fortune 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 Fortune during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Fortunes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Fortune
The name Fortune is derived from the Latin word "fortuna," which means luck or chance. This name has its roots in ancient Roman mythology, where Fortuna was the goddess of luck and fortune. She was often depicted with a cornucopia, symbolizing abundance and prosperity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Fortune dates back to the late 16th century in England. It was initially used as a surname, but over time, it transitioned into a given name. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Fortune Harebread, an English landowner who lived in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the name Fortune gained popularity among English Puritans. They believed that the name symbolized their belief in divine providence and the idea that one's fortune was determined by God's will. One notable figure from this period was Fortune Redrife, a Puritan minister born in 1609 in Wiltshire, England.
During the 18th century, the name Fortune spread to the American colonies. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Fortune Stoddard, a prominent lawyer and judge from Connecticut, born in 1700.
In the 19th century, the name Fortune became more widespread, particularly in the United States. One notable figure was Fortune Handley, a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, born in 1834 in Ohio.
The 20th century saw the name Fortune being used across various cultures and regions. One notable bearer was Fortune Gordien, a Haitian writer and poet born in 1925, whose works explored themes of social justice and cultural identity.
Throughout its history, the name Fortune has been associated with themes of luck, prosperity, and divine intervention. While its popularity has fluctuated over time, it has retained a certain charm and uniqueness, making it a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Fortune + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fortune 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
Fortune: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fortune?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 470 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fortune 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 729,265 US residents.
Is Fortune a common name?
We classify Fortune as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 515 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fortune most popular?
The single biggest year for Fortune was 2021, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fortune is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fortune a female name?
Yes, 61.4% of people registered as Fortune 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.
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.