Stearns
Stream, a flowing current of water or similar liquid.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Stearns. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Stearns today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Stearns births was 1917 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Stearns. 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 Stearns. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1917
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1917 SSA rank
#3,915
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Stearns: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Stearns 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 Stearns during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Stearns
The name Stearns has its origins in Old English, deriving from the word "stiarn," which means "stern" or "austere." It was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who possessed a serious or stern demeanor.
During the Middle Ages, the name Stearns was relatively uncommon but held a presence among the Anglo-Saxon population in England. It was occasionally recorded in historical documents from that period, although specific references are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Stearns can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Stiernodus is mentioned as holding property in Wiltshire, England.
Throughout the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Sterne, Stern, and Stearns. It was during the late medieval period that the spelling "Stearns" became more prevalent.
Historically, there are a few notable individuals who bore the name Stearns. One such figure was Sir George Stearns (1589-1667), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.
Another noteworthy Stearns was John Stearns (1770-1848), an American merchant and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He made significant contributions to the establishment of several educational institutions, including Amherst College and Andover Theological Seminary.
In the literary realm, Isaac Stearns (1686-1769) was an American minister and author who published several religious works, including "An Inquiry Respecting the Pernicious Practice of Profane Swearing."
During the American Revolutionary War, Samuel Stearns (1741-1809) gained recognition as a patriot and soldier. He participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill and later served as a colonel in the Continental Army.
Another notable figure was Charles Stearns (1753-1826), an American physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in New England. He was a co-founder of the Massachusetts Medical Society and served as its president for several years.
While the name Stearns has its roots in Old English, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal and historical significance.
People
Stearns + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Stearns 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
Stearns: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Stearns?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Stearns 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 - US residents.
Is Stearns a common name?
We classify Stearns as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Stearns most popular?
The single biggest year for Stearns was 1917, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Stearns is about 0 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 Stearns in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Stearns a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Stearns 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 Stearns still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Stearns 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 Stearns 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 share the name Stearns?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.