Godric
A masculine name of English origin, possibly derived from the Old English elements "god" (good) and "ric" (ruler).
Name Census estimates that about 375 living Americans carry the first name Godric. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Godric today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Godric births was 2015 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Godric. 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
375
~ 1 in 914,012 Americans
Peak year
2015
40 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,569
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Godric: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Godric from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 266 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Godric remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Godric 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 Godric during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Godrics live
Origin
Meaning and history of Godric
The name Godric is of Old English origin, derived from the elements "god" meaning "good" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power." It emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century.
The earliest recorded use of the name Godric dates back to the 7th century. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Saint Godric of Finchale, an English hermit and popular saint who lived from around 1070 to 1170. He is remembered for his ascetic lifestyle and numerous miracles attributed to him.
Another notable figure bearing the name Godric was Godric the Falconer, a 12th-century English nobleman and landowner. He is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
In the realm of literature, the name Godric appears in the medieval epic poem "Beowulf," one of the most important works of Old English literature. The character of Godric is portrayed as a Danish warrior who accompanies Beowulf on his quest to slay the monstrous Grendel.
During the Middle Ages, the name Godric was particularly popular among the Anglo-Norman nobility. One notable bearer was Godric of Buckingham, a 12th-century English nobleman and landowner who played a significant role in the Norman conquest of England.
In the 13th century, Godric de Stokes, an English landowner and knight, was a prominent figure. He is mentioned in various historical records and charters from the reign of King John and Henry III of England.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Godric, which has its roots in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture and language. The name's meaning of "good ruler" or "powerful leader" reflects the ideals and values of the Anglo-Saxon society from which it emerged.
People
Godric + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Godric 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
Godric: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Godric?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 375 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Godric 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 914,012 US residents.
Is Godric a common name?
We classify Godric as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 378 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Godric most popular?
The single biggest year for Godric was 2015, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Godric is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Godric a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Godric 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.