Holcomb
A masculine given name derived from a surname originating from a hollow valley.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Holcomb. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Holcomb today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Holcomb births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Holcomb. 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 Holcomb. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2017
6 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2021 SSA rank
#12,823
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Holcomb: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Holcomb from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 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
Holcomb 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 Holcomb 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 Holcomb
The given name Holcomb has its roots in the Old English language, originating during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is a compound name derived from the words "holh," meaning a hollow or sunken place, and "cumb," which refers to a small valley or dell. Essentially, Holcomb was used to describe someone who resided in a particular type of geographic location.
The earliest recorded use of the name Holcomb can be traced back to the 11th century, appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. During this time, the name was primarily concentrated in the southern regions of England, particularly in areas like Dorset and Somerset.
One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Holcomb was Sir John Holcomb, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was present at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and was renowned for his bravery on the battlefield.
In the 16th century, the name gained some prominence with the birth of William Holcomb (1536-1620), an English merchant and alderman who served as the Mayor of Plymouth in 1598. His successful trading ventures contributed to the economic growth of the city during the Elizabethan era.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Thomas Holcomb (1624-1657) was a prominent Puritan minister in Connecticut, known for his influential sermons and involvement in the establishment of the colony's religious institutions. His son, Nathaniel Holcomb (1648-1718), continued his father's legacy as a respected figure in the colonial community.
Another notable individual was Mary Holcomb (1779-1844), a pioneer and early settler in the American Midwest. She and her husband were among the first families to establish a homestead in what is now known as Union County, Ohio, paving the way for further westward expansion and settlement in the region.
Throughout history, the name Holcomb has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from military leaders and merchants to religious figures and pioneers. While its usage has evolved over time, the name retains its connection to its Old English roots, reflecting the geographic locations and landscapes that once shaped its origins.
People
Holcomb + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Holcomb 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
Holcomb: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Holcomb?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Holcomb 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 Holcomb a common name?
We classify Holcomb 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 Holcomb most popular?
The single biggest year for Holcomb was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Holcomb is about 7 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 Holcomb in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Holcomb a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Holcomb 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 Holcomb still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Holcomb 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 Holcomb 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 Americans are named Holcomb?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.