Hazard
A masculine French name derived from an old Arabic term meaning "chance" or "risk".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Hazard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hazard today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hazard births was 2019 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hazard. 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 Hazard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2019
6 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2019 SSA rank
#11,269
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Hazard: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Hazard 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 Hazard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Hazard
The given name Hazard has its origins in the Middle English language, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "hasart," which means "game of chance" or "risk." This name was likely given to children born during times of uncertainty or danger, reflecting the risks and hazards faced by their families or communities.
In the medieval period, the name Hazard was associated with knights and warriors who took great risks on the battlefield. Historical records show that in 1248, a knight named Hazard de Montfort fought alongside Simon de Montfort during the Barons' War against King Henry III of England.
The name Hazard also appears in various literary works from the Middle Ages, such as the 14th-century romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," where a character named Hazard is mentioned. Additionally, in the 15th-century play "Everyman," the character of Hazard personifies the risks and dangers that humans face in life.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hazard comes from the birth records of the village of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, where a boy named Hazard Shakespeare was born. Although not directly related to the famous playwright William Shakespeare, this early example highlights the use of the name in Elizabethan England.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Hazard. In the 17th century, Hazard Wilcox (1619-1678) was a prominent Puritan minister in New England, known for his fiery sermons and strict religious beliefs. In the 18th century, Hazard Perry (1735-1805) was an American Revolutionary War soldier who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
During the 19th century, Hazard Stevens (1842-1918) was a renowned American architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Massachusetts. Another notable figure was Hazard Upham (1818-1905), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in battle.
In the 20th century, Hazard Gillespie (1909-1998) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of Texas from 1951 to 1953. He was known for his efforts to combat organized crime and corruption in the state.
Despite its historical significance, the name Hazard has become less common in modern times, perhaps due to its association with risk and danger. Nonetheless, it remains a unique and intriguing name with a rich cultural heritage and literary connections.
People
Hazard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hazard as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hazard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hazard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hazard 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Hazard a common name?
We classify Hazard as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hazard most popular?
The single biggest year for Hazard was 2019, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hazard is about 8 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 Hazard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hazard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hazard 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 Hazard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hazard 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 Hazard 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 called Hazard?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.