Nepoleon
A Greek name meaning "guardian at the city gates".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Nepoleon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nepoleon today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nepoleon births was 1924 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nepoleon. 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 Nepoleon is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Nepoleons were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nepoleon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1924
5 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1966 SSA rank
#4,350
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Nepoleon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nepoleon from the 1920s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 5 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
Nepoleon 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 Nepoleon 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 Nepoleon
The name Nepoleon is relatively obscure and has its roots in antiquity. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Greek language, where it is believed to have been derived from the words "neos" meaning "new" and "polemos" meaning "war" or "battle." This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone involved in new conflicts or battles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nepoleon appears in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. In his work "The Histories," Herodotus mentions a soldier named Nepoleon who fought in the Persian Wars against the invading Persian Empire.
During the Byzantine era, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century AD, there are records of a few individuals bearing the name Nepoleon. One notable example is Nepoleon Branas, a Byzantine general who lived in the 12th century and played a significant role in the military campaigns against the Seljuk Turks.
In the Middle Ages, the name Nepoleon seems to have fallen out of widespread use, but it resurfaces in the Renaissance period. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name during this time was Nepoleon Orsini, an Italian nobleman and military leader who lived in the 15th century.
Moving forward to the 19th century, the most famous bearer of the name Nepoleon was Nepoleon Bonaparte, the celebrated French military leader and emperor who lived from 1769 to 1821. His name, though spelled differently from the ancient Greek version, is believed to have been inspired by the same roots, reflecting his military prowess and ambitions.
Another noteworthy individual named Nepoleon was Nepoleon III, the nephew of Nepoleon Bonaparte, who ruled as the Emperor of France from 1852 to 1870. He lived from 1808 to 1873 and played a crucial role in the modernization and industrialization of France.
While the name Nepoleon has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been borne by a few individuals across different eras and cultures, often associated with military or leadership roles. Its ancient Greek roots and occasional appearances in historical records have contributed to its enduring legacy as a name steeped in tradition and significance.
People
Nepoleon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nepoleon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nepoleon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nepoleon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nepoleon 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Nepoleon a common name?
We classify Nepoleon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nepoleon most popular?
The single biggest year for Nepoleon was 1924, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nepoleon is about 68 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 Nepoleon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nepoleon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nepoleon 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 Nepoleon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nepoleon 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 Nepoleon 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 Nepoleon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.