Locke
A name of Norman origin meaning "lock of hair".
Name Census estimates that about 957 living Americans carry the first name Locke. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Locke today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Locke births was 2016 (74 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Locke. 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
957
~ 1 in 358,155 Americans
Peak year
2016
74 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,487
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Locke: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Locke from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 500 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Locke remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Locke 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 Locke during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lockes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Texas, Utah recorded the most babies named Locke, while Washington, Missouri, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Locke
The name Locke has its origins in the Old English word "loc," which means "lock" or "enclosed place." It was initially a surname derived from someone who lived near a lock or enclosed area. The earliest recorded use of the name Locke as a given name dates back to the 12th century.
In medieval England, the name Locke was particularly popular among the lower classes, as it signified a connection to a specific location or dwelling. This name was often given to children born in humble surroundings, such as a locked or enclosed area on a manor or estate.
One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Locke was John Locke (1632-1704), the renowned English philosopher and political theorist. His influential work, "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding," laid the foundation for empiricism and had a significant impact on the Enlightenment era.
Another famous bearer of the name was Matthew Locke (1621-1677), an English composer and musician who contributed significantly to the development of English opera and instrumental music during the Baroque period.
In the literary realm, the name Locke is associated with John Locke (1805-1880), an American writer and philosopher who authored several influential works, including "The Locke Amsden; or, The Schoolmaster," which was one of the first novels to depict life in the American West.
Additionally, Alain LeRoy Locke (1885-1954), an American writer, philosopher, and leader of the Harlem Renaissance, was a prominent figure who championed the advancement of African American culture and art. His anthology, "The New Negro," published in 1925, is considered a seminal work of the Harlem Renaissance movement.
In the world of sports, the name Locke is associated with several notable athletes, including Bobby Locke (1917-1987), a South African professional golfer who won four Open Championships and was regarded as one of the greatest putters in the history of the game.
While the name Locke has its roots in Old English and was initially a surname, it has evolved into a given name with a rich history and diverse cultural associations, spanning various fields such as philosophy, music, literature, and sports.
People
Locke + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Locke 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
Locke: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Locke?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 957 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Locke 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 358,155 US residents.
Is Locke a common name?
We classify Locke as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 998 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Locke most popular?
The single biggest year for Locke was 2016, when 74 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Locke is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Locke a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Locke in the SSA data are male. 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.