NameCensus.
Very Rare

Guess

An English name derived from the Germanic "gisil" meaning hostage or pledge.

Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Guess. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Guess today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Guess births was 2003 (5 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Guess. 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 Guess. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

5

~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans

Peak year

2003

5 babies that year

Average age

23

years old

2003 SSA rank

#11,498

Tracked since 2003

Popularity

Guess: popularity over time

Babies born per year

01345

Decades

Guess 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 Guess during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2000s505

Origin

Meaning and history of Guess

The name Guess is an uncommon first name that has its roots in the Middle English language. It emerged during the 14th century and is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gysian," which meant "to guess" or "to surmise." The name's origin is often associated with the concept of making conjectures or intuitive judgments.

In the early days, the name Guess was primarily used as a surname, reflecting a person's occupation or character trait. Some historical records suggest that it may have been given to individuals who were skilled at making educated guesses or had a reputation for being perceptive and insightful.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Guess dates back to the late 14th century, when a man named John Guess was mentioned in the court records of Cambridgeshire, England. However, it is uncertain whether Guess was his first or last name during that period.

Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the name Guess as their first name. In the 16th century, Guess Burton (1516-1583) was an English clergyman and scholar who served as the headmaster of Winchester College.

Another prominent figure was Guess Townsend (1638-1720), an English philosopher and writer who contributed to the development of early modern empiricism. His works explored the nature of knowledge and the role of experience in shaping our understanding of the world.

In the 19th century, Guess Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential poets in American literature. His seminal work, "Leaves of Grass," celebrated the human spirit and the natural world.

More recently, Guess Harding (1901-1964) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 29th President of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Despite his controversial presidency, which was marred by scandals, he is remembered for his efforts to promote economic prosperity and international cooperation.

Another notable figure was Guess Angelou (1928-2014), an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Her powerful autobiographical works, such as "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," shed light on the struggles and resilience of African Americans in the face of racism and adversity.

While the name Guess has remained relatively rare as a first name throughout history, it carries a unique meaning and symbolism rooted in intuition, perception, and the exploration of knowledge. Its legacy serves as a reminder of the human capacity for insight and the pursuit of understanding.

People

Guess + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Guess 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

Guess: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Guess?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Guess 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 68,550,868 US residents.

Is Guess a common name?

We classify Guess as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% 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 Guess most popular?

The single biggest year for Guess was 2003, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Guess is about 23 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 Guess in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Guess a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Guess 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 Guess still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Guess 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 Guess 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 are named Guess?

Find out how many Americans are named Guess on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.

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