Galveston
Place next to a stream or inundated isle.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Galveston. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Galveston today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Galveston births was 1922 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Galveston. 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 Galveston. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1922
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1922 SSA rank
#4,546
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Galveston: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Galveston 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 Galveston during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Galveston
Galveston is a unique name that has its origins traced back to the Spanish language and culture. It is believed to have originated in the late 16th or early 17th century, possibly derived from the Spanish words "galván" (a type of metal) and "esto" (meaning "this" or "that").
The name Galveston is closely associated with the city of Galveston, located in Texas, United States. This coastal city was originally named "Galvez Town" in honor of the Spanish colonial governor, Bernardo de Gálvez, who played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War. Over time, the name evolved into its current form, Galveston.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Galveston can be found in the historical records of the Spanish colonial period in Texas. In 1785, the Spanish authorities established a settlement on Galveston Island, naming it "Villa de Galveston" (Town of Galveston). This settlement later became the foundation for the modern-day city of Galveston.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Galveston. One such person was Galveston Harvey, an American baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox in the early 20th century. He was born in 1882 and played in the Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1911.
Another notable figure with the name Galveston was Galveston Browne, an American politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Galveston, Texas, from 1892 to 1896. He played a significant role in the city's reconstruction efforts following the devastating Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
In the realm of literature, Galveston Smith was an American author and poet who lived in the late 19th century. He is best known for his collection of poetry titled "Verses from Galveston," published in 1885.
Galveston Jones, a prominent American businessman and philanthropist, made significant contributions to the development of the city of Galveston in the early 20th century. He established several charitable organizations and funded the construction of several public buildings in the city.
Lastly, Galveston Whitaker was a renowned American architect who designed many iconic buildings in Galveston during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works include the Galveston County Courthouse and the Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, both of which are historical landmarks in the city.
People
Galveston + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Galveston as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Galveston: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Galveston?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Galveston 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 Galveston a common name?
We classify Galveston 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Galveston most popular?
The single biggest year for Galveston was 1922, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Galveston 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 Galveston in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Galveston a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Galveston 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.
Is Galveston still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Galveston 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 Galveston 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 share the name Galveston?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Galveston on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.