Thorald
Of Old Norse origin meaning "Thor's ruler" or "rules by Thor".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Thorald. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Thorald today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thorald births was 1915 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thorald. 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 Thorald. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1915
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1915 SSA rank
#4,332
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Thorald: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thorald 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 Thorald 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thorald
The name Thorald has its origins in ancient Germanic and Norse cultures, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Norse words "Thórr" and "aldr," meaning "Thor's age" or "Thor's man." Thor was the god of thunder in Norse mythology, and adding the suffix "aldr" signified a person belonging to or associated with Thor.
This name was particularly prevalent among the Vikings and other Norse people who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe. It was a common practice to name children after deities or natural elements to invoke their protection and strength.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thorald can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical narratives that date back to the 13th century. These sagas often featured characters with names like Thorald, reflecting the cultural significance of these names during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Thorald. One such person was Thorald of Hamar (c. 1200-1285), a Norwegian nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the defense of Norway against Swedish invaders during the 13th century.
Another prominent figure was Thorald Knudtzon (1854-1925), a Norwegian philologist and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Semitic languages, particularly Akkadian and Phoenician.
In the realm of literature, Thorald Stauning (1889-1971) was a Danish author and playwright known for his novels and plays that explored social issues and the lives of working-class people in Denmark.
The name Thorald also found its way into religious circles, with Thorald of Katharinenthal (c. 1350-1420), a German Benedictine monk and theologian who wrote extensively on spiritual matters and monastic life.
Lastly, Thorald Kleven (1936-2011) was a Norwegian historian and author who specialized in the study of Norwegian emigration to North America, shedding light on the experiences of Norwegian immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name Thorald is not as common today as it once was, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of the ancient Germanic and Norse peoples.
People
Thorald + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thorald as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thorald: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thorald?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thorald 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 Thorald a common name?
We classify Thorald 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thorald most popular?
The single biggest year for Thorald was 1915, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thorald 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 Thorald in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thorald a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thorald 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 Thorald still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thorald 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 Thorald 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 have Thorald as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.