Powers
A masculine name derived from the word "power", denoting strength or ability.
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Powers. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Powers today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Powers births was 1994 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Powers. 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 Powers. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1994
7 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
1996 SSA rank
#10,136
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Powers: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Powers from the 1910s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 12 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
Powers 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 Powers 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 Powers
The name Powers is an English given name derived from the occupational surname Powers, which in turn comes from the Old French word "poair" or "pouair", meaning "to be able to" or "to have power". This name has its origins in medieval Europe, particularly in England and France.
The name Powers was likely first used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who held a position of authority or had significant influence within their community. It may have been applied to individuals who served in positions such as magistrates, military leaders, or those with wealth and social standing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Powers dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in England. These rolls were administrative records that documented financial transactions and payments made to the Crown.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Powers. One of the most famous was Hiram Powers, an American neoclassical sculptor born in 1805 in Woodstock, Vermont. He is renowned for his marble sculptures, including the iconic "Greek Slave" and "Eve Tempted".
Another prominent figure was William Powers, a British actor and playwright born in 1542. He was a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the playing company to which William Shakespeare also belonged.
In the realm of literature, Martha Powers, an American writer and poet born in 1921, gained recognition for her works exploring themes of nature and the human experience.
J. F. Powers, an American novelist and short story writer born in 1917, is also noteworthy for his critically acclaimed works, including the National Book Award-winning novel "Morte D'Urban".
Lastly, James Farl Powers, born in 1917, was an American philosopher and academic who made significant contributions to the field of metaphysics and the philosophy of religion.
While the name Powers may have originated as a descriptive term, it has evolved into a given name with a rich history and cultural significance, carried by individuals across various fields and professions throughout the centuries.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Powers
People
Powers + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Powers 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
Powers: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Powers?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Powers 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Powers a common name?
We classify Powers as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Powers most popular?
The single biggest year for Powers was 1994, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Powers is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Powers a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Powers 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.