Foxx
From the Old English word "fox", relating to the cunning animal.
Name Census estimates that about 275 living Americans carry the first name Foxx. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Foxx today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Foxx births was 2021 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Foxx. 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
275
~ 1 in 1,246,379 Americans
Peak year
2021
17 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,912
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Foxx: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Foxx from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 107 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Foxx remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Foxx 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 Foxx 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 Foxx
The name Foxx is primarily an English name, originating from the Old English word "fox" which referred to the small, furry animal. The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, as a surname or descriptive name given to someone who bore a resemblance to a fox or had a connection to these animals, such as a hunter or fur trader.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Foxx can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. It mentions a landowner named "Reinald Fox" in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.
In the 14th century, the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned a character named "Russel the Fox" in his famous work, The Canterbury Tales. This further solidifies the presence of the name in medieval England, likely stemming from its use as a nickname or descriptive surname.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Foxx was the English dramatist and actor, James Foxx (c. 1610–1677). He was a prominent member of the King's Company, a leading theatre troupe during the Restoration period, and wrote several plays, including The Royall Merchant and The Tragedy of Ovid.
Another prominent figure was the American architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764–1820), who was born Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe. He is known for his work on the United States Capitol Building and other important landmarks in the early years of the United States.
In the 20th century, the name gained more prominence with the rise of the American actor and comedian, Redd Foxx (1922–1991), whose real name was John Elroy Sanford. He is best known for his role as Fred Sanford in the sitcom Sanford and Son.
The name has also been borne by other notable individuals, such as the American singer and actress, Jamie Foxx (born Eric Marlon Bishop in 1967), who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 film Ray.
Additionally, the American football player and coach, John Foxx (1931–2010), had a successful career as a defensive back in the National Football League and later served as a coach for several teams.
People
Foxx + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Foxx 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
Foxx: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Foxx?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 275 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Foxx 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 1,246,379 US residents.
Is Foxx a common name?
We classify Foxx as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 278 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Foxx most popular?
The single biggest year for Foxx was 2021, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Foxx is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Foxx a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Foxx 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.