Renard
A French masculine name meaning "fox".
Name Census estimates that about 2,310 living Americans carry the first name Renard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Renard today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Renard births was 1970 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Renard. 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
2.3K
~ 1 in 148,379 Americans
Peak year
1970
63 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,649
Tracked since 1910
Popularity
Renard: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Renard from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 500 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Renard 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 Renard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Renards live
The SSA's state-level files cover 15 states and territories. Illinois, Louisiana, Florida recorded the most babies named Renard, while Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 50 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Renard
The name Renard finds its origins in the French language, derived from the Old French word "renart," which referred to a fox. This connection to the cunning and clever animal likely influenced the name's initial usage and meaning. The name's earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th and 13th centuries.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Renard comes from the medieval satirical beast fable, "Roman de Renart," which featured a anthropomorphized fox named Renart as the central character. This literary work, authored by various poets between the 12th and 14th centuries, played a significant role in popularizing the name across Europe during that period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Renard. One of the earliest recorded was Renard of Montauban, a French nobleman and military commander who lived in the 12th century and played a prominent role in the civil wars during the reign of King Louis VII.
In the 15th century, Renard de Saint-Trond, a Flemish painter and manuscript illuminator, gained recognition for his contributions to the Northern Renaissance art movement. His intricate and detailed works adorned various religious texts and manuscripts of the time.
During the 16th century, Renard Gourdon, a French Huguenot pastor and theologian, made a significant impact on the Protestant Reformation movement in France. His writings and sermons influenced the spread of Calvinism in the region.
In the 19th century, Renard Bergeron, a French explorer and naturalist, embarked on several expeditions to South America, documenting the region's flora and fauna. His detailed accounts and collections contributed greatly to the understanding of the continent's biodiversity.
Another notable figure was Renard de Briey, a French sculptor and architect who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was renowned for his intricate architectural designs and sculptures that adorned various buildings and public spaces throughout France.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Renard, showcasing its enduring presence across different eras and disciplines. The name's connection to the cunning fox and its literary roots have undoubtedly contributed to its cultural significance and longevity.
People
Renard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Renard as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Renard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Renard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,310 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Renard 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 148,379 US residents.
Is Renard a common name?
We classify Renard as "Rare". It ranks above 94.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,690 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Renard most popular?
The single biggest year for Renard was 1970, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Renard is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Renard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Renard 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.