Spruce
A name derived from the evergreen coniferous tree.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Spruce. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Spruce today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Spruce births was 2022 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Spruce. 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 Spruce. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2022
7 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,697
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Spruce: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Spruce 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 Spruce during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Spruce
The given name Spruce is an English word derived from the evergreen coniferous tree known as the spruce tree. Its origins can be traced back to the late 16th century, when the word "spruce" was first used to describe the tree and its wood. The name is believed to have its roots in the Old French word "Prusse," which referred to the region of Prussia, where these trees were abundant.
While the name Spruce is not directly linked to any ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used as a given name over the centuries, often reflecting a connection to nature or a desire to bestow a unique and distinctive name upon a child. The earliest recorded use of Spruce as a first name dates back to the 17th century, but it remained relatively uncommon until the 20th century.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the first name Spruce was Spruce McCoy, an American outlaw and gunfighter who lived in the late 19th century. Born around 1857, McCoy gained notoriety for his involvement in various shootouts and robberies in the American Old West.
Another notable figure with the first name Spruce was Spruce Wrigley, a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1920 to 1932. He played a significant role in the development of the Manitoba sugar beet industry.
In the realm of literature, Spruce Cullen was a fictional character created by American author John Grisham in his 2001 novel "The Brethren." The character, a former judge, played a pivotal role in the story's plot involving a mail scam operation run from a federal prison.
Moving into the realm of sports, Spruce Derden was an American football player who played as a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s. He was born in 1958 and played for the Chargers from 1981 to 1987.
Another notable individual with the first name Spruce was Spruce Yeaton, an American educator and author who lived from 1846 to 1925. He served as the principal of several prestigious schools in New England and wrote several books on education and teaching methods.
While the name Spruce remains relatively uncommon, it has been used throughout history by individuals from various walks of life, often reflecting a connection to nature or a desire for a unique and distinctive name. Its origins can be traced back to the late 16th century and the Old French word "Prusse," making it a name with a rich linguistic and cultural heritage.
People
Spruce + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Spruce 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
Spruce: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Spruce?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Spruce 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Spruce a common name?
We classify Spruce as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Spruce most popular?
The single biggest year for Spruce was 2022, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Spruce is about 4 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 Spruce in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Spruce a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Spruce 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 Spruce still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Spruce 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 Spruce 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 are called Spruce?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.