Pilot
A masculine given name derived from the occupation of operating aircraft.
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the first name Pilot. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Pilot today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pilot births was 2009 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pilot. 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
159
~ 1 in 2,155,688 Americans
Peak year
2009
19 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,518
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Pilot: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pilot from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 99 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pilot 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 Pilot 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 Pilot
The given name Pilot is an occupational name derived from the Latin word "pilotus," which means "steersman" or "navigator." It was initially used to refer to those who guided ships through treacherous waters or helped with navigation. The name's origins can be traced back to the maritime culture of ancient Rome, where skilled pilots were highly valued for their expertise in navigating ships safely.
One of the earliest known references to the name Pilot can be found in ancient Roman texts and records. While the name was not widely used as a personal name during that time, it was commonly associated with the profession of piloting ships. As maritime trade and exploration expanded, the name gained popularity among those involved in seafaring activities.
During the Middle Ages, the name Pilot began to appear more frequently as a given name, particularly in coastal regions and areas with strong maritime traditions. It became a common name among sailors, navigators, and those involved in the maritime industry. One notable historical figure with the name Pilot was Pilot de Ruffi, a 14th-century Genoese navigator and explorer who participated in several voyages and expeditions sponsored by the Republic of Genoa.
As the Age of Exploration dawned, the name Pilot gained even more prominence. Many famous navigators and explorers from this era bore the name, including Pilot Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (1499-1543), a Portuguese explorer who sailed for the Spanish Crown and is credited with the first European exploration of the West Coast of modern-day United States.
In the 17th century, Pilot emerged as a popular given name in England and other parts of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Pilot James Lancaster (1554-1618), an English navigator and explorer who led several expeditions to the East Indies and became the first Englishman to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.
Another prominent figure with the name Pilot was Pilot William Baffin (1584-1622), an English explorer and navigator who made significant contributions to the exploration of the Arctic regions. He discovered several important geographical features, including the Baffin Bay and the Smith Sound, which were named after him.
Throughout history, the name Pilot has been associated with daring explorers, skilled navigators, and those with a passion for adventure on the high seas. While its usage has declined in modern times, it remains a unique and intriguing name that pays tribute to the rich maritime heritage and the courageous individuals who played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of the world through their voyages and discoveries.
People
Pilot + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pilot as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pilot: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pilot?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 159 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pilot 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 2,155,688 US residents.
Is Pilot a common name?
We classify Pilot as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 160 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pilot most popular?
The single biggest year for Pilot was 2009, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pilot is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pilot a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pilot 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.