Iceland
An island country's name derived from Old Norse words meaning "ice land".
Name Census estimates that about 89 living Americans carry the first name Iceland. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 87.8% of registrations being female. The average person named Iceland today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iceland births was 2023 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iceland. 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 Iceland. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
89
~ 1 in 3,851,172 Americans
Peak year
2023
31 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#5,489
Tracked since 2009
Gender
Gender distribution for Iceland
Iceland leans heavily female at 87.8% of total registrations, but 11 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Iceland as a male name
- Ranked #7,449 in 2023
- 11 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (11 births)
Iceland as a female name
- Ranked #5,489 in 2024
- 23 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (23 births)
Popularity
Iceland: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iceland from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 78 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
Iceland 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 Iceland 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 Iceland
The name Iceland is a relatively modern name, originating from the early 20th century. It is derived from the name of the Nordic island country of Iceland, which in turn comes from the Old Norse words "ís" (ice) and "land" (land), reflecting the country's icy and glacial landscape.
While the name Iceland does not have a long historical lineage, there are a few notable individuals who have borne this unusual first name over the past century. One of the earliest recorded instances was Iceland Amory, an American author and journalist born in 1887. He gained recognition for his satirical works and writings on social issues.
Another notable bearer of the name was Iceland Josephine Pardee, born in 1898, who was a prominent American philanthropist and socialite. She was known for her support of various charitable causes and her involvement in high society circles.
In the realm of sports, Iceland Watson Jr. was an American football player who played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in 1944 and played for teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and the Denver Broncos.
Moving into the world of entertainment, Iceland Gammeter was a Swiss actor and singer born in 1949. He appeared in several Swiss films and television shows and was also known for his work in the theater.
Lastly, Iceland Neville was a British artist and sculptor born in 1957. She gained recognition for her abstract and experimental works, which often explored themes of nature and the environment.
While the name Iceland may seem unusual and uncommon, these individuals have left their mark in various fields, showcasing the diversity and creativity that can be found in even the most unconventional of names.
People
Iceland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iceland 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
Iceland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iceland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 89 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iceland 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 3,851,172 US residents.
Is Iceland a common name?
We classify Iceland as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 90 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iceland most popular?
The single biggest year for Iceland was 2023, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iceland is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iceland a female name?
Yes, 87.8% of people registered as Iceland in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.