Torres
A Spanish surname meaning "towers" or "watchtowers".
Name Census estimates that about 278 living Americans carry the first name Torres. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Torres today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Torres births was 1995 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Torres. 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
278
~ 1 in 1,232,929 Americans
Peak year
1995
14 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,990
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Torres: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Torres from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 73 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Torres 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 Torres during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Torres' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Torres
The name Torres has its origins in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, derived from the Latin word "turris," meaning tower or fortified structure. This connection to defensive architecture likely stems from a time when the name was associated with those who lived near or maintained such structures.
In its earliest recorded use, Torres was a surname adopted by families residing near prominent towers or fortifications in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. As a first name, its usage can be traced back to the 13th century, when it began appearing in historical records and documents from Spain and Portugal.
One of the earliest known bearers of the first name Torres was Torres Naharro, a Spanish playwright and poet who lived from 1485 to 1520. He is considered a pioneering figure in the development of Spanish Renaissance literature and is credited with introducing the use of realistic dialogue and character development to Spanish theater.
Another notable figure was Torres Villarroel, a Spanish writer, and mathematician who lived from 1694 to 1770. He was known for his satirical works and humorous observations on society, as well as his contributions to the field of mathematics.
In the 19th century, Torres Caicedo, a Colombian poet and diplomat, made a name for himself with his patriotic works and promotion of Latin American independence movements. He lived from 1825 to 1889 and is considered one of the most influential figures in Colombian literature.
In the realm of art, Torres-Garcia, a Uruguayan artist and theorist, left a lasting impact on the development of modern art in Latin America. Born in 1874 and living until 1949, he is best known for his distinctive style, which combined elements of Cubism and Constructivism with influences from pre-Columbian art.
Lastly, Torres Bodet, a Mexican writer, diplomat, and educator who lived from 1902 to 1974, played a significant role in promoting education and cultural exchange throughout Latin America. He served as the director-general of UNESCO and was widely recognized for his literary works, which explored themes of social justice and human rights.
People
Torres + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Torres 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
Torres: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Torres?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 278 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Torres 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 1,232,929 US residents.
Is Torres a common name?
We classify Torres as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 291 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Torres most popular?
The single biggest year for Torres was 1995, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Torres is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Torres a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Torres 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.