Matrix
A womb, the place where something is generated or formed.
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the first name Matrix. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Matrix today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matrix births was 1999 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matrix. 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
114
~ 1 in 3,006,617 Americans
Peak year
1999
12 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,526
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Matrix: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Matrix from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 49 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Matrix 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 Matrix 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 Matrix
The name Matrix has its linguistic roots in the Latin word "mātrix", which refers to the womb or source from which something is born or derives. It is believed to have been introduced as a given name during the Middle Ages, possibly as a reference to the Virgin Mary's role as the mother of Christ in Christian theology.
In the 13th century, the name Matrix was recorded in various forms, such as Matrice and Matryce, in medieval documents from England and France. These early records suggest that the name was initially used as a feminine given name, though its meaning was closely tied to the concept of motherhood and fertility.
One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the name Matrix was Matrice de Gisors, a 13th-century French noblewoman and the wife of Philip de Gisors, a prominent knight during the reign of King John of England. Another early recorded use of the name was found in the 14th-century British Harleian Manuscripts, where a woman named Matrice de Branketre was mentioned.
In the 15th century, the name Matrix gained some popularity among religious figures, particularly in monastic orders. One example is Matrix de Corvo, a Portuguese Franciscan friar and theologian who lived from 1428 to 1502. He was known for his writings on moral philosophy and his advocacy for education reform within the Catholic Church.
As the Renaissance period unfolded, the name Matrix became increasingly associated with the arts and sciences. In the 16th century, Matrix Curtius, a German humanist scholar and poet, gained recognition for his Latin translations of classical Greek works. He lived from 1475 to 1544 and was highly regarded for his contributions to the revival of classical learning.
Another notable individual bearing the name Matrix was Matrix Locci, an Italian mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1516 to 1592. He is best known for his work on celestial mechanics and his contributions to the development of the Gregorian calendar reform.
While the name Matrix has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been used sporadically in various cultures and time periods, often with a connection to the themes of birth, creation, and the pursuit of knowledge.
People
Matrix + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matrix 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
Matrix: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matrix?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 114 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matrix 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 3,006,617 US residents.
Is Matrix a common name?
We classify Matrix as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 115 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matrix most popular?
The single biggest year for Matrix was 1999, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matrix is about 12 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 Matrix in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Matrix a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Matrix 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 Matrix still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Matrix 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 Matrix 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 have Matrix as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Matrix, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.