Minyard
A variant of the French surname Minaud meaning "man from Mineur".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Minyard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Minyard today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Minyard births was 1919 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Minyard. 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 Minyard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1919
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1919 SSA rank
#4,586
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Minyard: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Minyard 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 Minyard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Minyard
The name Minyard is an English given name with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. Its roots can be traced to the Old English word "myne," meaning "mine" or "belonging to me," and the Old French word "garder," meaning "to guard" or "to protect."
The earliest recorded use of the name Minyard dates back to the 13th century, where it was found in records from the county of Norfolk in England. It was likely a name given to a person whose occupation was to guard or protect mines or mining operations.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Minyard was Sir John Minyard, a knight who fought in the Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was renowned for his bravery and was awarded lands in Hertfordshire for his service.
In the 15th century, a prominent figure named William Minyard was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. This guild played a significant role in regulating the trade of goldsmithing and protecting the interests of its members.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned scholar and philosopher named Thomas Minyard (1523-1592) gained recognition for his work on classical literature and his translations of ancient Greek texts into English.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Elizabeth Minyard (1735-1812) was celebrated for her philanthropic endeavors. She established several schools and hospitals in the city of Bristol, England, and was known for her efforts in improving the lives of the underprivileged.
Another historical figure bearing the name Minyard was James Minyard (1789-1857), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East. He documented his findings and discoveries in several published journals, contributing to the understanding of the regions' flora and fauna.
While the name Minyard is not as common today as it once was, it has a rich historical legacy rooted in the English language and culture, carrying connotations of protection, guardianship, and dedication to one's craft or cause.
People
Minyard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Minyard 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
Minyard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Minyard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Minyard 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 Minyard a common name?
We classify Minyard 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 Minyard most popular?
The single biggest year for Minyard was 1919, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Minyard 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 Minyard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Minyard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Minyard 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 Minyard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Minyard 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 Minyard 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 Americans are named Minyard?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.