Legacy first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Legacy has been for the last 31 years (from 1994 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Legacy

Something inherited or handed down from the past.

Popularity of Legacy by gender

Based on the last 31 years of data, Legacy is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 68% of people named Legacy being female.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 491 female babies and 237 male babies born with the name Legacy.

YearMale CountFemale Count
2024237491
2023294556
2022350650
2021369723
2020315609
2019273491
2018183346
2017118279
201677254
201559163
201434106
20133180
20122976
20112255
20103570
20091737
2008835
2007029
2006023
2005021
2004022
2003027
2002527
2001036
2000020
1999033
1998020
1997012
1996018
199508
1994010

The history of the first name Legacy

The name Legacy is an English word derived from the Latin term "legatus", which means "ambassador" or "messenger". It gained popularity as a given name in the late 20th century, reflecting a desire to imbue a child with a sense of heritage, tradition, and lasting impact.

Legacy as a name can be traced back to the early 17th century, when it was occasionally used as a surname or a descriptor rather than a proper given name. One of the earliest recorded instances of Legacy as a first name dates back to the late 19th century, with a man named Legacy Fenderson born in 1886 in Mississippi, United States.

Throughout history, the name Legacy has been associated with individuals who have left a lasting mark on their respective fields or communities. One notable example is Legacy Russell, an American author, artist, and curator born in 1984, known for her work exploring the intersections of art, culture, and identity.

Another individual with the name Legacy is Legacy Petritz, an American singer-songwriter and musician born in 1994, who has gained recognition for her contributions to the indie rock and alternative music scenes.

In the realm of sports, Legacy Denied is a professional wrestler born in 1990, who has competed in various independent wrestling promotions across the United States.

The name Legacy has also been given to individuals born into families with a strong heritage or tradition, serving as a symbolic representation of their lineage and the responsibility to carry forward their family's legacy.

While not as common as some other names, Legacy has gained popularity in recent decades, with parents choosing it as a unique and meaningful name for their children, reflecting a desire to inspire them to leave a lasting impact on the world.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Legacy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Legacy, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.

Search
Search
Background shape