Torr
A modern name derived from the Scottish surname and local name meaning "conical hill".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Torr. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Torr today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Torr births was 1971 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Torr. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Torr with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Torr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1971
7 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1971 SSA rank
#4,348
Tracked since 1965
Popularity
Torr: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Torr from the 1960s through to the 1970s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 7 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Torr 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 Torr during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Torr
The name Torr is believed to have its origins in Old Norse and is derived from the word "þorr," which means "thunder" or "thunder god." This name is associated with the Norse god of thunder, Thor, who was one of the most prominent deities in Norse mythology.
The name Torr was likely used by the Vikings and other Scandinavian peoples during the Viking Age, which spanned from the late 8th century to the late 11th century. It was a common name among those who worshipped the Norse gods and believed in the power of thunder and storms.
In Norse mythology, Thor was the son of Odin and the earth goddess Fjörgyn. He was the protector of mankind and was known for his mighty hammer, Mjölnir, which he used to battle giants and other enemies. The name Torr symbolized strength, courage, and the power of nature.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Torr can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which were written in the 13th and 14th centuries. These sagas often featured characters with names derived from Norse mythology, including Torr.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Torr. One of the most famous was Torr Hunderasson, a 12th-century Icelandic chieftain and lawspeaker who played a significant role in the Sturlung Age of Iceland.
Another notable figure was Torr Ketilsson, a 9th-century Norwegian Viking who is believed to have been one of the first Scandinavian settlers in Iceland. He is mentioned in the Landnámabók, a medieval Icelandic manuscript that chronicles the settlement of Iceland.
In the 11th century, Torr Klakka was a powerful chieftain in Norway who is mentioned in the Heimskringla, a collection of sagas written by the Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson.
During the Viking Age, Torr Haralds was a prominent Norwegian Viking who is said to have participated in the raids on England and France in the late 9th century.
In more recent times, Torr Naevestad was a 19th-century Norwegian painter and illustrator who was known for his depictions of Norse mythology and Viking culture.
While the name Torr is still used today, it is relatively uncommon, especially outside of Scandinavian countries. However, its historical significance and connection to Norse mythology make it a name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Torr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Torr 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
Torr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Torr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Torr 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Torr a common name?
We classify Torr as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Torr most popular?
The single biggest year for Torr was 1971, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Torr is about 56 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 Torr in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Torr a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Torr 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 Torr still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Torr 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 Torr 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 common is the name Torr?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Torr at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.