Oaks
A tree name derived from the Old English "ac" meaning mighty.
Name Census estimates that about 235 living Americans carry the first name Oaks. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oaks today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oaks births was 2024 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oaks. 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.
People living today
235
~ 1 in 1,458,529 Americans
Peak year
2024
45 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,856
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Oaks: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oaks from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 163 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
Oaks 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 Oaks during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Oaks' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Utah, California, Arizona recorded the most babies named Oaks, while Arizona, California, Utah recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Oaks
The name Oaks is derived from the English word "oak," which refers to the mighty oak tree. Its origins can be traced back to Old English, where it was spelled "ac" or "æc." The oak tree has been revered in many cultures for its strength, longevity, and symbolism of endurance.
The earliest recorded use of the name Oaks dates back to the 16th century in England. It is believed to have been initially used as a surname for people who lived near or worked with oak trees. Over time, it transitioned into a given name, representing the admirable qualities associated with the oak tree.
In literature, the name Oaks appeared in the works of renowned writers such as William Shakespeare and John Milton, who used it as a symbolic reference to strength and resilience. Additionally, the name has been mentioned in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries.
One notable figure bearing the name Oaks was Sir Oaks Browne (1607-1682), an English politician and judge who served as a Member of Parliament and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Another was Oaks Ames (1804-1873), an American manufacturer and businessman who established the Ames Shovel Company.
In the realm of art, Oaks Fahnstock (1850-1933) was an American painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. Oaks Blacque (1619-1676) was a French military officer who served during the Thirty Years' War and later became a diplomat.
Lastly, Oaks Calhoun (1829-1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a Confederate officer during the American Civil War and later as a member of the Georgia General Assembly.
These individuals from various walks of life carried the name Oaks, representing the enduring qualities associated with the mighty oak tree – strength, resilience, and longevity.
People
Oaks + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oaks as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oaks: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oaks?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 235 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oaks 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 1,458,529 US residents.
Is Oaks a common name?
We classify Oaks as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 237 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oaks most popular?
The single biggest year for Oaks was 2024, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oaks is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Oaks a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oaks 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.