Mode
A feminine name derived from the French word meaning "fashion" or "style".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Mode. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mode today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mode births was 1920 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mode. 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 Mode. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,124
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Mode: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mode 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 Mode 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 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Mode
The name Mode is believed to have originated from the Old English word "modig," which means "brave" or "courageous." This root word can be traced back to the 5th century AD, during the Anglo-Saxon period in what is now England.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Mode was a Saxon warrior named Mode Bryhtric, who lived in the 7th century AD. He was known for his bravery in battle and his loyalty to the King of Wessex.
In the 9th century, a monk named Mode of Winchcombe gained fame for his scholarly pursuits and his contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. He is credited with transcribing several important religious texts during his time at the Winchcombe Abbey.
During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, a Norman nobleman named Mode de Bayeux fought alongside William the Conqueror. He was later granted lands in Hampshire for his service.
In the 13th century, a renowned Italian architect named Mode da Siena designed several notable churches and public buildings in his native city of Siena, Italy. His work is considered a significant example of the Romanesque architectural style.
Another notable figure with the name Mode was a 15th-century Dutch painter named Mode Brill, who was known for his religious-themed works and his skill in portraiture. Some of his paintings can still be found in various art museums across Europe.
People
Mode + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mode 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
Mode: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mode?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mode 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 Mode a common name?
We classify Mode 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, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mode most popular?
The single biggest year for Mode was 1920, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mode 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 Mode in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mode a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mode 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 Mode still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mode 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 Mode 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 share the name Mode?
Want to know how many people have the name Mode? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.