Mallard
A masculine name derived from the duck species with iridescent green heads.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Mallard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mallard today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mallard births was 1920 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mallard. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mallard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,704
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Mallard: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mallard 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 Mallard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Mallard
The given name Mallard is derived from the French word "malart," which refers to a specific species of wild duck known as the Mallard duck. The name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was common practice in some regions of France to name children after animals, plants, or natural elements.
Mallard ducks were abundant in many parts of Europe during this time period, and their striking appearance, with their distinctive green heads and rust-colored breasts, likely contributed to the name's popularity. The name may have been given to children as a way to symbolize qualities such as resilience, adaptability, and grace, which were associated with these hardy waterfowl.
While the name Mallard does not appear to have any direct connections to ancient texts or religious scriptures, it may have been used informally or regionally in various parts of Europe during the medieval and Renaissance periods. The earliest recorded instances of the name Mallard as a given name date back to the late 16th century in France, where it was occasionally used for both male and female children.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Mallard was Mallard Grice (1582-1647), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. Another early bearer of the name was Mallard de Cressac (1610-1678), a French military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War.
In the 18th century, Mallard Clough (1734-1811) was a British explorer and navigator who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Pacific Ocean. During the same period, Mallard Fillmore (1737-1809) was an American Revolutionary War soldier and one of the signers of the Massachusetts Constitution.
In more recent times, Mallard Newell (1892-1975) was a Canadian artist and painter known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life in Quebec. Mallard Jennings (1918-2003) was an American poet and academic who taught at several prestigious universities and published numerous collections of poetry.
These examples highlight the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Mallard throughout history, although it has remained a relatively uncommon given name in most regions.
People
Mallard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mallard as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mallard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mallard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mallard 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 - US residents.
Is Mallard a common name?
We classify Mallard as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mallard most popular?
The single biggest year for Mallard was 1920, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mallard is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
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 Mallard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mallard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mallard 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.
Is Mallard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mallard 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 Mallard 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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Mallard?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Mallard at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.