Icarus
Deriving from Greek mythology, a name meaning "one who challenges the sun".
Name Census estimates that about 146 living Americans carry the first name Icarus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Icarus today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Icarus births was 2023 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Icarus. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Icarus with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
146
~ 1 in 2,347,632 Americans
Peak year
2023
19 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,289
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Icarus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Icarus 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 74 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
Icarus 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 Icarus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Icarus' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Icarus
The given name Icarus has its origins in Greek mythology, believed to have emerged during the ancient classical period of Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "ikaros," which means "the skilled one" or "the able one." The name gained prominence through the tragic tale of Icarus, the son of the master craftsman Daedalus in Greek mythology.
In the famous myth, Daedalus, imprisoned on the island of Crete, fashioned wings made of wax and feathers for himself and his son Icarus to escape. Despite his father's warnings, the young Icarus flew too close to the sun, causing the wax to melt, and he plunged into the sea, drowning. This cautionary tale has become a metaphor for the consequences of hubris and the risks of overambition.
The name Icarus first appears in ancient Greek literature, notably in the works of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and Virgil's "Aeneid." It has been referenced throughout the centuries in various literary and artistic works, serving as a powerful symbol of the human desire for freedom and the limitations imposed by nature.
One of the earliest recorded individuals named Icarus was a Greek mythological figure mentioned in the works of ancient authors like Apollodorus and Pausanias. However, the name was not widely used in ancient times, likely due to its tragic associations.
In more recent history, several notable individuals have borne the name Icarus, though its use remains relatively uncommon:
1. Icarus Wilson (1774-1858), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on the Regent's Park and Regent Street in London.
2. Icarus Linde (1856-1912), a Swedish chemist and inventor best known for his contributions to the development of refrigeration technology.
3. Icarus Pinto (1915-1976), a Brazilian painter and sculptor associated with the Modernist movement in Brazilian art.
4. Icarus Atwood (1938-2003), an American writer and poet, known for his experimental works and collaborations with visual artists.
5. Icarus Menotti (1965-present), an Italian film director and screenwriter, whose works often explore themes of identity and societal pressures.
While the name Icarus may evoke the tragic Greek myth, it has also been embraced by some as a symbol of human resilience and the pursuit of dreams, despite the risks involved. Its enduring legacy in literature, art, and culture attests to the timeless power of storytelling and the human desire to explore the boundaries of possibility.
People
Icarus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Icarus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Icarus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Icarus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 146 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Icarus 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 2,347,632 US residents.
Is Icarus a common name?
We classify Icarus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 147 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Icarus most popular?
The single biggest year for Icarus was 2023, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Icarus 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 Icarus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Icarus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Icarus 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 Icarus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Icarus 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 Icarus 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 Icarus?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Icarus at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.