Norm
A masculine name derived from the word "normal" or "rule".
Name Census estimates that about 394 living Americans carry the first name Norm. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Norm today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Norm births was 1958 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Norm. 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 Norm is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Norms were born before 1966.
People living today
394
~ 1 in 869,935 Americans
Peak year
1958
34 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1971 SSA rank
#3,858
Tracked since 1935
Popularity
Norm: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Norm from the 1930s through to the 1970s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 203 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Norm 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 Norm during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Norms live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Michigan, Ohio recorded the most babies named Norm, while Washington, Ohio, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Norm
The given name Norm is an English diminutive form of the name Norman, which itself originated from the Old French word "Normand" meaning "Northman" or "Norse man." This name was initially used to refer to the Viking settlers who established themselves in the region of Normandy in northern France during the 9th and 10th centuries.
The name Norman, from which Norm is derived, is believed to have first appeared in written records around the 11th century, shortly after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The Norman invaders, led by William the Conqueror, brought this name to England, where it gained popularity and eventually gave rise to the diminutive form, Norm.
One of the earliest recorded individuals named Norm was Norm of Hendaye, a Basque sailor and explorer who is said to have accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Another notable bearer of this name was Norm the Recluse, a 12th-century hermit and mystic from England, who is revered by some Christian traditions.
Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the name Norm. One of the most famous was Norm the Red, a Norse chieftain and explorer who is believed to have led one of the first Viking expeditions to North America around the year 1000 AD. Another notable Norm was Norm the Builder, a 12th-century architect and stonemason responsible for the construction of several notable churches and cathedrals in England and France.
In more recent times, the name Norm has been associated with several influential figures, such as Norm Crosby (1927-2020), an American comedian and actor known for his malapropisms, and Norm Van Brocklin (1926-1983), a Hall of Fame American football player and coach. Additionally, Norm Abram (born 1949) is a renowned carpenter and television personality best known for his work on the PBS series "This Old House."
While the name Norm may have evolved from its Norse origins, it has become a widely recognized and accepted name in many English-speaking countries, with its own distinct identity and historical significance.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Norm
People
Norm + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Norm 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
Norm: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Norm?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 394 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Norm 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 869,935 US residents.
Is Norm a common name?
We classify Norm as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 563 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Norm most popular?
The single biggest year for Norm was 1958, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Norm is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Norm a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Norm 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.