Pomposo
A Spanish name derived from the word "pomposo", meaning boastful or pretentious.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Pomposo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Pomposo today is around 86 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pomposo births was 1951 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pomposo. 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 Pomposo is about 86 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pomposos were born before 1950.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pomposo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1951
5 babies that year
Average age
86
years old
1951 SSA rank
#4,119
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Pomposo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Pomposo 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 Pomposo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Pomposo
The name Pomposo is an Italian name that traces its origins back to the Latin language and ancient Roman culture. It likely derives from the Latin word "pomposus," which means "showy" or "ostentatious." This suggests that the name may have originally been used to describe someone with a grand or extravagant demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Pomposo can be found in the writings of the ancient Roman poet Ovid, who lived from 43 BC to 17 AD. In his work "Ars Amatoria" (The Art of Love), Ovid mentions a character named Pomposo, though it is unclear whether this was a real person or a fictional character created for the poem.
The first known historical figure to bear the name Pomposo was Pomposo Litta Visconti, an Italian nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was a member of the powerful Visconti family, which ruled over the city-state of Milan during the Renaissance period. Pomposo Litta Visconti played a significant role in the political and military affairs of Milan during his lifetime, which spanned from approximately 1320 to 1390.
Another notable figure named Pomposo was Pomposo Colonna, an Italian cardinal who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Rome in 1508 and served as a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church from 1565 until his death in 1597. Pomposo Colonna was known for his influential role in the Church during the Counter-Reformation period.
In the 17th century, there was a Spanish painter named Pomposo Leoni, who was active in Madrid between 1616 and 1668. Leoni was a prominent artist at the court of King Philip IV of Spain and is best known for his portraits of Spanish royalty and nobility.
Another figure named Pomposo was an Italian composer and musician named Pomposo Cannici, who lived from 1612 to 1677. He was a prominent figure in the musical life of Rome during the Baroque period and wrote numerous works for the church and court.
While the name Pomposo may have originated in Italy, it has been used in various other cultures and languages over the centuries. However, it remains relatively uncommon compared to more popular names, and its usage has likely been influenced by its somewhat unusual and flamboyant connotation.
People
Pomposo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pomposo 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
Pomposo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pomposo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pomposo 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 Pomposo a common name?
We classify Pomposo 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pomposo most popular?
The single biggest year for Pomposo was 1951, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pomposo is about 86 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 Pomposo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pomposo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pomposo 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 Pomposo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pomposo 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 Pomposo 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 have the name Pomposo?
See how many Americans are named Pomposo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.