Hickory
Tree with edible nuts and tough wood; from an Algonquian word.
Name Census estimates that about 17 living Americans carry the first name Hickory. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hickory today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hickory births was 2023 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hickory. 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 Hickory. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
17
~ 1 in 20,162,020 Americans
Peak year
2023
7 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,114
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Hickory: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hickory from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 12 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hickory 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 Hickory during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hickory
The name Hickory has its origins in the English language and refers to a type of tree, the hickory tree. The word "hickory" itself is derived from the Virginia Algonquian word "pawcohiccora," which means "oily nut." The hickory tree is native to North America and was an important source of food and wood for the indigenous peoples of the region.
The hickory tree has been a part of American culture and history since the earliest European settlements. It is mentioned in various historical records and accounts from the colonial era, as the settlers learned about the tree and its uses from the Native Americans. The wood of the hickory tree was prized for its strength and durability, and was used for making tools, furniture, and even wagon wheels.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Hickory as a given name dates back to the late 18th century. A notable figure with this name was Hickory Groundhog, a Native American of the Seneca tribe who was born around 1755. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a scout and guide for the Continental Army.
Another prominent individual with the name Hickory was Hickory Dickory, a fictional character from the popular nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock." The rhyme is believed to have originated in the 18th century and has been passed down through generations of English-speaking children.
In the 19th century, the name Hickory gained further prominence due to its association with President Andrew Jackson. Jackson was nicknamed "Old Hickory" for his toughness and resilience, which was likened to the strength of the hickory tree. This association helped popularize the name and led to its use as a given name for both boys and girls.
One notable figure with the name Hickory was Hickory Freeman, a former professional baseball player who was born in 1898. He played in the Negro Leagues and was known for his skills as a pitcher and outfielder.
Another individual with the name Hickory was Hickory Shelley, a writer and poet who lived from 1892 to 1968. He was known for his works that explored themes of nature and the American wilderness.
While the name Hickory may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a unique and distinctive name with a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in North America.
People
Hickory + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hickory 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
Hickory: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hickory?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 17 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hickory 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 20,162,020 US residents.
Is Hickory a common name?
We classify Hickory as "Very Rare". It ranks above 37.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hickory most popular?
The single biggest year for Hickory was 2023, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hickory is about 17 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 Hickory in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hickory a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hickory 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 Hickory still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hickory 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 Hickory 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 have Hickory as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Hickory, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.