Latina
A feminine name derived from the Latin word for a native of Italy.
Name Census estimates that about 1,862 living Americans carry the first name Latina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Latina today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Latina births was 1973 (96 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Latina. 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
1.9K
~ 1 in 184,079 Americans
Peak year
1973
96 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
2011 SSA rank
#15,924
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Latina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Latina from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 810 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Latina 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 Latina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Latinas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Michigan, Illinois, California recorded the most babies named Latina, while Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 39 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Latina
The name Latina has its roots in the Latin language, originating from the ancient Roman civilization. It is a feminine form derived from the word "Latinus," which referred to the people of Latium, the region surrounding Rome in central Italy. The name Latinus itself is believed to have come from the word "latus," meaning "broad" or "wide," possibly describing the broad plains of the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Latina can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who mentions a woman named Latina in his work "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Foundation of the City) during the 1st century BC. In this historical account, Latina is described as a virtuous Roman woman who lived during the early years of the Roman Republic.
The name Latina also appears in various religious texts and literary works throughout history. In the 4th century AD, St. Jerome, a renowned Christian scholar, referred to a woman named Latina in one of his letters. Additionally, the name is mentioned in the works of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri in the 13th century.
Among the notable historical figures who bore the name Latina is Latina Giovanna Visconti, born in 1360. She was a member of the powerful Visconti family and played a significant role in the political affairs of Milan during the late Middle Ages. Another prominent individual was Latina Tomasi, an Italian noblewoman born in the 15th century, known for her patronage of the arts and her support of Renaissance artists.
In the 16th century, Latina Loschi was a renowned Italian scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the field of literature. She was celebrated for her poetry and her expertise in classical languages.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Latina was Latina Thrasibula, a Roman woman who lived during the 1st century BC. She was revered for her courage and her role in defending the city of Praeneste against the forces of Sulla during the Roman Civil War.
Throughout history, the name Latina has been associated with strength, resilience, and a connection to the rich cultural heritage of ancient Rome. While its popularity may have fluctuated over time, the name continues to carry a sense of timeless elegance and a link to the enduring legacy of the Latin language and Roman civilization.
People
Latina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Latina 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
Latina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Latina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,862 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Latina 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 184,079 US residents.
Is Latina a common name?
We classify Latina as "Rare". It ranks above 93.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,049 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Latina most popular?
The single biggest year for Latina was 1973, when 96 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Latina is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Latina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Latina 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.