NameCensus.
Very Rare

Hoyd

An Old Frankish derived name possibly meaning "herdsman" or "guard".

Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Hoyd. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hoyd today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hoyd births was 1933 (5 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Hoyd. 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

  • The typical person named Hoyd is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Hoyds were born before 1963.
  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hoyd. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

1

~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans

Peak year

1933

5 babies that year

Average age

73

years old

1933 SSA rank

#3,886

Tracked since 1933

Popularity

Hoyd: popularity over time

Babies born per year

01345

Decades

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

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1930s505

Origin

Meaning and history of Hoyd

The name Hoyd is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Germanic peoples who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe during the Viking Age, from the 8th to the 11th centuries. The name is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "hǫfuð," which means "head" or "leader," suggesting that it may have been bestowed upon someone who was considered a chief or a person of importance within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hoyd can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are a collection of historical tales and stories that date back to the 13th century. These sagas often featured characters with names of Norse origin, and it is possible that the name Hoyd was mentioned in some of these texts, though specific references are difficult to trace.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Hoyd. One such person was Hoyd the Fearless, a Viking warrior who lived in the 9th century and was renowned for his bravery and skill in battle. According to legend, Hoyd led a band of fearless warriors on countless raids and conquests, earning him a formidable reputation among his peers.

Another historical figure with the name Hoyd was Hoyd the Wise, a scholar and philosopher who lived in the 12th century. Hoyd the Wise was known for his deep understanding of the natural world and his insightful teachings on the nature of existence. His writings and teachings were highly influential during his time and continued to be studied and analyzed by scholars for centuries after his death.

In the 14th century, there was a nobleman named Hoyd the Bountiful, who was admired for his generosity and compassion towards the less fortunate. Hoyd the Bountiful was known for his philanthropic efforts, and he established several charitable institutions that provided food, shelter, and education to those in need.

During the Renaissance period, a celebrated artist named Hoyd the Painter emerged. Hoyd the Painter was renowned for his intricate and vibrant works of art, which often depicted scenes from mythology and folklore. His paintings were widely admired and sought after by wealthy patrons and art collectors throughout Europe.

Finally, in the 18th century, there was a renowned explorer named Hoyd the Adventurer. Hoyd the Adventurer embarked on numerous expeditions to uncharted territories, documenting his discoveries and encounters with new cultures and civilizations. His detailed accounts and journals provided valuable insights into the world beyond the boundaries of Europe and contributed significantly to the expansion of geographical knowledge during that time.

People

Hoyd + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Hoyd 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

Hoyd: questions and answers

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

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hoyd 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 342,754,338 US residents.

Is Hoyd a common name?

We classify Hoyd as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% 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 Hoyd most popular?

The single biggest year for Hoyd was 1933, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hoyd is about 73 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 Hoyd in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Hoyd a male name?

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

Yes. The SSA still recorded Hoyd 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 Hoyd 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 Hoyd?

HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.

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Hoyd

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