Pompey
From Latin "pompa" meaning "triumphal procession".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Pompey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Pompey today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pompey births was 1941 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pompey. 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 Pompey is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pompeys were born before 1963.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pompey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1941
6 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
1941 SSA rank
#3,413
Tracked since 1941
Popularity
Pompey: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Pompey 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 Pompey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Pompey
The name Pompey has its origins in the Latin word "pompa", which means "solemn procession" or "pomp and splendor". It is believed to have first emerged as a cognomen (a third or additional name) among ancient Roman families, referring to someone who had led or been a part of a grand ceremonial procession.
One of the earliest and most notable bearers of the name Pompey was Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106-48 BC), a celebrated Roman general and statesman. He played a pivotal role in the Roman Republic's civil wars, forming the First Triumvirate with Julius Caesar and Marcus Licinius Crassus.
Another historical figure with the name Pompey was Sextus Pompeius (67-35 BC), the youngest son of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. He continued the struggle against Caesar's forces after his father's death, leading a significant naval campaign in the Mediterranean.
In the 5th century AD, there was a Roman general named Flavius Aetius, also known as Pompey the Great. He is credited with halting the invasions of the Huns under Attila and defending the Western Roman Empire from further barbarian incursions.
During the 12th century, a ruler of the Kingdom of Cyprus, Raynald of Châtillon, was also referred to as Pompey. He was known for his conflicts with the Islamic powers in the region and his capture of a wealthy caravan, which ultimately led to his execution.
In the 16th century, one of the most famous bearers of the name was Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (1708-1787), an Italian painter who achieved great success and recognition for his grand portrait paintings in the Rococo style.
While the name Pompey was primarily associated with ancient Roman figures, it has been used across various cultures and time periods, often carrying connotations of grandeur, ceremony, and military prowess.
People
Pompey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pompey 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
Pompey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pompey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pompey 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Pompey a common name?
We classify Pompey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pompey most popular?
The single biggest year for Pompey was 1941, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pompey is about 73 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 Pompey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pompey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pompey 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 Pompey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pompey 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 Pompey 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 common is the name Pompey?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.