Skeet
A variant of the given name Scott, of Scottish origin, possibly meaning "a Scotsman".
Name Census estimates that about 25 living Americans carry the first name Skeet. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Skeet today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Skeet births was 1950 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Skeet. 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 Skeet. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
25
~ 1 in 13,710,174 Americans
Peak year
1950
7 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2003 SSA rank
#12,496
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Skeet: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Skeet from the 1950s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Skeet remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Skeet 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 Skeet 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 Skeet
The given name Skeet is believed to have originated from the Old English word "scēotan," which means "to shoot" or "to propel." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have been associated with skilled archers or hunters in ancient Anglo-Saxon culture.
The earliest known record of the name Skeet dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. It was listed as a surname, which was common practice during that time period.
In the 13th century, the name Skeet gained prominence in the legend of Robin Hood, the famous English outlaw and folk hero. One of Robin's merry men was named Skeet, and he was renowned for his exceptional skill with the longbow. This literary reference likely contributed to the name's enduring association with archery and marksmanship.
One of the earliest documented bearers of the name Skeet was Sir John Skeet, a renowned English bowman who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). His exploits at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 earned him widespread acclaim and cemented his place in the annals of English military history.
In the 16th century, the name Skeet appeared in the works of renowned playwright William Shakespeare, further solidifying its position in English culture. In the play "Henry VI, Part 2," a character named Skeet is mentioned, though his role is relatively minor.
Another notable figure bearing the name Skeet was John Skeet, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1722 to 1804. He is best known for his work "A Practical Dictionary of the Muscovite or Modern Russian Inlides," which was instrumental in promoting the study of the Russian language in England.
Throughout the centuries, the name Skeet has been carried by various individuals from different walks of life, including soldiers, artists, and scholars. While its popularity may have waxed and waned over time, its connection to the ancient traditions of archery and marksmanship has endured, making it a name with a rich and intriguing history.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Skeet
People
Skeet + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Skeet as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Skeet: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Skeet?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 25 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Skeet 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 13,710,174 US residents.
Is Skeet a common name?
We classify Skeet as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 29 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Skeet most popular?
The single biggest year for Skeet was 1950, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Skeet is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Skeet a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Skeet 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.