Nugent
A masculine name of unknown meaning and Celtic origin.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Nugent. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nugent today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nugent births was 1896 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nugent. 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 Nugent. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1896
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1923 SSA rank
#4,113
Tracked since 1896
Popularity
Nugent: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nugent from the 1890s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 6 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
Nugent 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 Nugent during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nugents live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nugent
The name Nugent has its origins in the Gaelic language, which is a branch of the Celtic language family. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "nuachongbhail," which translates to "new habitation" or "new homestead." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals or families who established new settlements or homesteads.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Nugent can be traced back to the 12th century in Ireland. The name was prominent among the Norman-Irish nobility, particularly in County Westmeath and County Longford. One of the earliest documented individuals with the name was Sir Gilbert de Nugent, who lived in the 12th century and was a prominent figure in the Norman invasion of Ireland.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nugent. One of the most renowned was Richard Nugent, Earl of Westmeath (c. 1538-1625), an Irish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Nine Years' War in Ireland. Another notable figure was Sir Nicholas Nugent (c. 1545-1625), an Irish soldier and statesman who served as Lord President of Munster and Chief Governor of Ireland.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence in England as well. Sir Christopher Nugent (c. 1622-1694) was an English soldier and courtier who served as Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance under King Charles II. John Nugent, 5th Earl of Westmeath (1672-1754), was an Irish peer and Jacobite supporter who fought in the Battle of the Boyne and later fled to France after the Williamite War in Ireland.
The name Nugent also appeared in religious and literary contexts. Father Robert Nugent (c. 1702-1788) was an Irish Catholic priest and writer who authored several works on theology and philosophy. Thomas Nugent (1700-1772) was an Irish writer and translator who is best known for his translations of Greek and Roman classics.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the name Nugent throughout history, highlighting its rich cultural and historical significance, particularly in Ireland and England.
People
Nugent + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nugent 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
Nugent: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nugent?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nugent 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 Nugent a common name?
We classify Nugent 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, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nugent most popular?
The single biggest year for Nugent was 1896, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nugent 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 Nugent in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nugent a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nugent 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 Nugent still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nugent 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 Nugent 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 are named Nugent?
Want to know how many Americans are named Nugent? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.