Island
A topographic name referring to someone residing on an island.
Name Census estimates that about 717 living Americans carry the first name Island. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 87.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Island today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Island births was 2024 (90 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Island. 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.
People living today
717
~ 1 in 478,040 Americans
Peak year
2024
90 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,579
Tracked since 1998
Census
Island in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 424 people with the first name Island, which placed it at #23,170 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#23,170
National first-name rank
People counted
424
424 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
59.0% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Island
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Island is Black at 59.0%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Hispanic (10.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Island described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Island at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American59.0% · 250
- White17.9% · 76
- Hispanic or Latino10.8% · 46
- Two or more races6.1% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.2% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 4
Gender
Gender distribution for Island
Island leans heavily female at 87.3% of total registrations, but 92 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Island as a male name
- Ranked #4,608 in 2024
- 22 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (22 births)
Island as a female name
- Ranked #2,579 in 2024
- 68 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (68 births)
2020 Census snapshot
The 2020 Census sex table shows Island on both sides of the split. Of the 426 people counted with this name, 91 were male (21.4%) and 335 were female (78.6%).
Popularity
Island: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Island from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 364 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
Island 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 Island during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Islands live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Texas, Georgia, Ohio recorded the most babies named Island, while Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Island
The name Island is a unique and intriguing one, with its origins shrouded in mystery and intrigue. It is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Vikings and other Scandinavian people during the early medieval period.
In Old Norse, the word "island" referred to a piece of land surrounded by water, a fitting name for those born on islands or in coastal regions. The Vikings, with their seafaring traditions, likely encountered many islands during their explorations and may have used this name to honor their connection to the sea.
While the earliest recorded instances of the name Island are difficult to pinpoint, it is said that it appeared in ancient Norse sagas and legends, often associated with characters who embodied the spirit of adventure and exploration. One such figure was Island the Wanderer, a legendary Viking who was said to have discovered new lands and islands in the vast northern seas.
Throughout history, the name Island has been borne by individuals from various walks of life. One of the earliest recorded bearers was Island the Sculptor, a renowned artist from the 10th century who created intricate carvings and sculptures depicting scenes from Norse mythology.
In the 12th century, Island the Skald, a celebrated poet and storyteller, was known for his captivating tales of Viking voyages and battles. His works were widely recited and passed down through generations, keeping the spirit of the Viking age alive.
During the Age of Exploration, Island the Navigator, a skilled navigator from the 16th century, was instrumental in charting new trade routes and mapping uncharted territories. His expertise and daring spirit helped pave the way for future explorers and adventurers.
In more recent times, Island Falconer, a renowned falconer and conservationist from the 19th century, dedicated her life to preserving and studying various species of birds of prey. Her work and dedication to the preservation of these magnificent creatures left a lasting impact on the field of falconry.
Finally, Island Everest, a pioneering mountaineer from the early 20th century, made history by being one of the first climbers to summit the treacherous Mount Everest. Her unwavering determination and courage in the face of adversity inspired generations of adventurers and mountaineers to follow in her footsteps.
While the name Island may be uncommon in modern times, it carries a rich legacy of adventure, exploration, and a deep connection to the natural world. Its unique origins and the stories of those who have borne it continue to captivate and inspire people to this day.
People
Island + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Island 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
Island: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Island?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 717 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Island 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 478,040 US residents.
Is Island a common name?
We classify Island as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 723 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Island most popular?
The single biggest year for Island was 2024, when 90 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Island is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Island in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 424 people with the name Island, or 0.14 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #23,170 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Island in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Island?
The 2020 Census sex table shows Island on both sides of the split. Of the 426 people counted with this name, 91 were male (21.4%) and 335 were female (78.6%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Island?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Island is Black at 59.0%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Hispanic (10.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Island most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Island in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.0% (250 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Island in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Island a female name?
Yes, 87.3% of people registered as Island 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.
Is Island still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Island 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 Island 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.
How many people are named Island?
Want to know how many people share the name Island? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.