Laetitia
Feminine name of Latin origin meaning "joy" or "happiness".
Name Census estimates that about 300 living Americans carry the first name Laetitia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Laetitia today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Laetitia births was 2004 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Laetitia. 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
300
~ 1 in 1,142,514 Americans
Peak year
2004
12 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2019 SSA rank
#16,903
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Laetitia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Laetitia from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 71 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Laetitia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Laetitia 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 Laetitia 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 Laetitia
The name Laetitia has its roots in the Latin language, originating in ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "laetitia," which means joy, happiness, or delight. The name was popular among the ancient Romans, reflecting their appreciation for positive emotions and a joyful outlook on life.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Laetitia gained religious significance as it was associated with the virtue of spiritual joy and the celebration of life. It was often bestowed upon children as a symbol of the happiness and blessings they brought to their families.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Laetitia can be found in the writings of the Roman poet Martial, who lived in the 1st century AD. He mentioned a woman named Laetitia in one of his poems, suggesting the name's usage during that period.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Laetitia. One of the most famous was Laetitia Ramolino (1750-1836), the mother of Napoleon Bonaparte, the renowned French military leader and emperor. Her unwavering support and guidance played a crucial role in her son's remarkable rise to power.
Another influential bearer of the name was Laetitia Pilkington (1712-1750), an Irish poet and memoirist. Her works, including the autobiographical "Memoirs," provided valuable insights into the lives of women in 18th-century Dublin.
In the realm of literature, Laetitia Landon (1802-1838), also known as L.E.L., was a celebrated English poet and novelist. Her poetic works, such as "The Improvisatrice" and "The Golden Violet," earned her widespread acclaim during the Romantic era.
The name Laetitia also graced the stage in the form of Laetitia Toureaux (1766-1833), a French actress and playwright. She was renowned for her performances in comedies and her contributions to the development of French theater.
Another notable figure was Laetitia Chaplin (1891-1975), a British-born American writer and socialite. She was known for her friendships with prominent literary figures, including D.H. Lawrence and Aldous Huxley, and her advocacy for women's rights.
While the name Laetitia has its origins in ancient Rome and has been carried by many influential individuals throughout history, its meaning of joy and happiness has remained constant, serving as a reminder of the enduring human pursuit of contentment and positivity.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Laetitia
People
Laetitia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Laetitia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Laetitia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laetitia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 300 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Laetitia 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 1,142,514 US residents.
Is Laetitia a common name?
We classify Laetitia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 375 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Laetitia most popular?
The single biggest year for Laetitia was 2004, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Laetitia is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Laetitia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Laetitia 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.