Mort
A masculine name derived from the French word for "death".
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name Mort. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mort today is around 80 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mort births was 1922 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mort. 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
- • The typical person named Mort is about 80 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Morts were born before 1956.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mort. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
1922
9 babies that year
Average age
80
years old
1956 SSA rank
#4,304
Tracked since 1904
Popularity
Mort: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mort from the 1900s through to the 1950s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 48 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mort 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 Mort 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 Mort
The name Mort has its origins in the French language, derived from the Latin word "mors," meaning "death." It gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in France and England, where it was often associated with religious or monastic life.
In medieval times, the name Mort was sometimes given to children with the intention of reminding them of the inevitability of death and the need to lead a pious life. It was also used as a nickname for those who had a solemn or somber demeanor, or who worked in professions related to death, such as gravediggers or undertakers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mort can be found in the 12th century, when Mort de Bury, an English Benedictine monk and writer, was born around 1150. He is known for his work "Philobiblon," a treatise on the love of books and the importance of learning.
Another notable figure bearing the name Mort was Mort d'Arthur, a legendary English knight who is said to have fought alongside King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. While his historical existence is debated, the stories of his exploits were widely popularized in the 15th century through the works of Sir Thomas Malory.
In the 16th century, Mort Dru, a French Huguenot leader, played a significant role in the French Wars of Religion, fighting for the rights of Protestants against the Catholic monarchy. He was born around 1520 and died in battle in 1569.
Moving into the 17th century, Mort Marlowe was an English playwright and poet who lived from 1564 to 1593. He is best known for his tragic play "The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus," which explores the themes of knowledge, power, and the consequences of ambition.
In more recent times, Mort Shuman was an American singer-songwriter and composer who was born in 1938 and died in 1991. He co-wrote several hit songs, including "Viva Las Vegas" and "Jezebel," and his compositions were recorded by notable artists such as Elvis Presley and The Small Faces.
While the name Mort may have had somber origins, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, each leaving their mark on their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human achievement.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Mort
People
Mort + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mort 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
Mort: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mort?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mort 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 19,041,908 US residents.
Is Mort a common name?
We classify Mort as "Very Rare". It ranks above 38.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 129 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mort most popular?
The single biggest year for Mort was 1922, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mort is about 80 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mort a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mort 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.