NameCensus.
Rare

Storm

A gender-neutral name of English origin relating to a turbulent atmospheric disturbance.

Name Census estimates that about 6,020 living Americans carry the first name Storm. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 57.3% of registrations being male. The average person named Storm today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Storm births was 2022 (249 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Storm. 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

  • Storm sits in rare territory as a truly gender-neutral name, given to boys and girls in near-equal numbers.

People living today

6.0K

~ 1 in 56,936 Americans

Peak year

2022

249 babies that year

Average age

21

years old

2024 SSA rank

#1,621

Tracked since 1946

Gender

Gender distribution for Storm

Storm is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 6,168 total registrations, 3,534 (57.3%) were male and 2,634 (42.7%) were female.

57% male
43% female
Male3,534 (57.3%)Female2,634 (42.7%)

Storm as a male name

  • Ranked #1,870 in 2024
  • 86 male births in 2024
  • Peak: 1995 (165 births)

Storm as a female name

  • Ranked #1,621 in 2024
  • 128 female births in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (143 births)

Popularity

Storm: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Storm from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 1,900 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Storm remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.

Babies born per year

MaleFemale
06212518724919501960197019801990200020102020

Decades

Storm 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 Storm during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1940s12618
1950s464591
1960s282755
1970s414788
1980s19669265
1990s1,3445561,900
2000s7155301,245
2010s6346891,323
2020s5186651,183

Geography

Where Storms live

The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. Ohio, New York, California recorded the most babies named Storm, while Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 103 registrations each.

Origin

Meaning and history of Storm

The name Storm is an English name derived from the Old English word "storm," which means a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with wind and rain or snow. The name is believed to have originated in the late 16th or early 17th century, as it was not commonly used before that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Storm can be found in the 1599 play "Every Man Out of His Humour" by Ben Jonson, where a character is referred to as "Storm the Litster." The name was likely inspired by the powerful and turbulent nature of storms, representing strength and intensity.

In the 17th century, the name Storm was occasionally used as a first name, particularly in English-speaking countries. One notable bearer of the name was Storm van der Chijs (1666-1701), a Dutch naval officer and explorer who served in the Dutch East India Company.

The name gained more popularity in the 19th century, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One of the most famous was Storm Jameson (1891-1986), an English writer and critic who was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time.

Another notable bearer of the name was Storm Bull (1876-1942), a Norwegian explorer and ethnographer who conducted extensive research on the indigenous peoples of the Arctic regions. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of these cultures.

In the 20th century, the name Storm continued to be used, although it remained relatively uncommon. One notable bearer was Storm Thorgerson (1944-2013), an English graphic designer best known for his work with the rock band Pink Floyd, creating iconic album covers such as "The Dark Side of the Moon."

The name Storm has also been used as a middle name or a surname, but its usage as a first name has been more prevalent, particularly in English-speaking countries. While not among the most popular names, it has maintained a presence throughout history, often associated with strength, intensity, and a connection to the natural world.

People

Storm + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Storm 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

Storm: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Storm?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6,020 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Storm 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 56,936 US residents.

Is Storm a common name?

We classify Storm as "Rare". It ranks above 96.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6,168 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Storm most popular?

The single biggest year for Storm was 2022, when 249 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Storm is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

Is Storm a male name?

Yes, 57.3% of people registered as Storm 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.

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