Tor
A Scandinavian masculine name derived from the god Thor, signifying thunder.
Name Census estimates that about 815 living Americans carry the first name Tor. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tor today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tor births was 1965 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tor. 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.
People living today
815
~ 1 in 420,557 Americans
Peak year
1965
30 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,695
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Tor: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tor from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 150 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tor 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 Tor during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tors live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Washington recorded the most babies named Tor, while Washington, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tor
The name Tor has its roots in Old Norse, the language spoken by the ancient Scandinavian tribes. It is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word "þorr," which was the name of the god of thunder and fertility in Norse mythology. This name was later Latinized as "Thor," which is a more recognizable spelling for many people.
In Old Norse mythology, Thor was a powerful and revered deity. He was associated with strength, courage, and the protection of humankind. The name Tor would have been given to children with the hope that they would embody these qualities and enjoy the god's favor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tor can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which were written in the 13th and 14th centuries. These sagas were prose narratives that preserved the histories, legends, and cultural traditions of the Norse people.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tor. One of the earliest was Tor Herdebrei (c. 1020 – c. 1080), a Norwegian chieftain and Viking warrior who played a significant role in the Christianization of Norway. Another notable figure was Tor Jonsson (c. 1451 – 1530), a Swedish archbishop and statesman who played a crucial role in the Kalmar Union, a political union that united Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
In more recent times, Tor Nørretranders (born 1955) is a Danish author and philosopher known for his work on consciousness and the philosophy of science. Tor Arne Hetland (born 1974) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter who has achieved success in the rock and metal genres.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Tor was Tor Inge Viken (1957 – 2022), a Norwegian footballer who played as a striker for several clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. He was a prolific goalscorer and is considered one of the greatest Norwegian footballers of all time.
People
Tor + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tor 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
Tor: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tor?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 815 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tor 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 420,557 US residents.
Is Tor a common name?
We classify Tor as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 869 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tor most popular?
The single biggest year for Tor was 1965, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tor is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tor a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tor 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.