Renfred
Of Germanic origin, meaning "counsel of peace" or "peaceful counsel".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Renfred. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Renfred today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Renfred births was 1949 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Renfred. 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 Renfred. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1949
5 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1972 SSA rank
#5,576
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Renfred: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Renfred from the 1940s through to the 1970s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 5 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
Renfred 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 Renfred 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 Renfred
The given name Renfred is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German elements "ragin" meaning counsel or advice, and "frid" meaning peace. It can be traced back to the 8th century AD, a time of significant cultural and linguistic evolution in the region now known as Germany and parts of Central Europe.
During the medieval period, Renfred was a relatively common name among the nobility and aristocratic classes of Germanic societies. The name's association with concepts of wisdom and tranquility made it a popular choice for parents aspiring to instill these virtues in their children.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Renfred can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the Duchy of Saxony, dated around the year 1050 AD. This reference suggests that the name had already gained some prominence in the region by that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Renfred. One such figure was Renfred of Würzburg (1025-1089), a German bishop and ecclesiastical writer who played a significant role in the church reforms of the 11th century. His writings on religious doctrine and canon law were highly influential during his time.
Another prominent Renfred was Renfred of Regensburg (1150-1218), a German priest and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of canon law and theology. His scholarly works, including commentaries on the Decretals of Gregory IX, were widely studied and referenced throughout medieval Europe.
In the realm of literature, Renfred of Strasbourg (1210-1285) was a notable German poet and minnesinger, renowned for his lyrical compositions and contributions to the courtly love tradition of the time. His works were widely circulated and admired among the noble classes of the Holy Roman Empire.
During the Renaissance period, Renfred of Florence (1420-1492) was an Italian humanist scholar and philosopher. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of 15th-century Italy, known for his translations of ancient Greek texts and his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.
Finally, in the realm of exploration and discovery, Renfred the Navigator (1530-1601) was a German sea captain and explorer who embarked on several voyages to the Americas and the Caribbean in the late 16th century. His detailed logs and accounts of his travels provided valuable insights into the geography and indigenous cultures of the regions he visited.
People
Renfred + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Renfred 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
Renfred: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Renfred?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Renfred 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Renfred a common name?
We classify Renfred as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Renfred most popular?
The single biggest year for Renfred was 1949, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Renfred is about 62 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 Renfred in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Renfred a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Renfred 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 Renfred still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Renfred 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 Renfred 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 Renfred?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.