Gasper
A name derived from the Middle Persian name "Gaspar", meaning "Treasure bearer".
Name Census estimates that about 476 living Americans carry the first name Gasper. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gasper today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gasper births was 1917 (48 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gasper. 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
476
~ 1 in 720,072 Americans
Peak year
1917
48 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
2022 SSA rank
#11,324
Tracked since 1907
Popularity
Gasper: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gasper from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 402 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gasper 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 Gasper during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gaspers live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. New York, Michigan, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Gasper, while Ohio, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 79 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gasper
The name Gasper has its origins in the Persian language and culture, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Old Persian word "Gaspar," which means "treasurer" or "keeper of the treasure." This name was associated with wealth, prosperity, and guardianship.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Gasper can be found in the Christian Bible's Gospel of Matthew, where it is mentioned as one of the three wise men or Magi who visited the infant Jesus, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This biblical account played a significant role in the spread and popularity of the name throughout the centuries.
In the 4th century AD, the historian Jacobus de Voragine recorded the name Gasper in his work "Legenda Aurea" (The Golden Legend), a collection of hagiographies and stories about the lives of saints. This text further solidified the association of the name with the wise men from the biblical narrative.
The earliest recorded individual bearing the name Gasper was Saint Gaspar del Bufalo (1786-1837), an Italian Catholic priest and the founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He dedicated his life to preaching and establishing missions, leaving a lasting impact on the Church.
Another notable figure was Gaspar de Portolà (1723-1784), a Spanish explorer and the first governor of Las Californias, the colonial province that later became the state of California. He led expeditions that explored and mapped significant portions of the region.
In the realm of literature, Gaspar Núñez de Arce (1834-1903) was a renowned Spanish poet, playwright, and statesman. He served as a member of the Spanish Royal Academy and is remembered for his contributions to the literary and political spheres.
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811) was a Spanish illustrious writer, philosopher, and statesman. He played a crucial role in the Spanish Enlightenment and advocated for educational and economic reforms during his time.
Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587-1645), was a Spanish politician and chief minister of Philip IV of Spain. He held significant power and influence during his tenure, shaping the policies of the Spanish Empire during the 17th century.
People
Gasper + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gasper 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
Gasper: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gasper?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 476 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gasper 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 720,072 US residents.
Is Gasper a common name?
We classify Gasper as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,469 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gasper most popular?
The single biggest year for Gasper was 1917, when 48 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gasper is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gasper a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gasper 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.