NameCensus.
Very Rare

Trapper

One who hunts or catches animals by setting traps.

Name Census estimates that about 959 living Americans carry the first name Trapper. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Trapper today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Trapper births was 2011 (41 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Trapper. 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

959

~ 1 in 357,408 Americans

Peak year

2011

41 babies that year

Average age

22

years old

2024 SSA rank

#4,851

Tracked since 1975

Popularity

Trapper: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Trapper from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 294 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Trapper remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.

Babies born per year

0102131411975198019851990199520002005201020152020

Decades

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

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1970s52052
1980s1690169
1990s95095
2000s2570257
2010s2940294
2020s1120112

Geography

Where Trappers live

The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Utah, Texas, Alaska recorded the most babies named Trapper, while Oklahoma, Alaska, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.

Origin

Meaning and history of Trapper

The name Trapper is an English occupational name derived from the Middle English word "trapper," meaning a person who sets traps to catch animals for their fur or meat. The name's origins can be traced back to the 14th century when the fur trade was a thriving industry in Europe and North America.

The name Trapper was most commonly used in regions where hunting and trapping were prevalent occupations, such as the American frontier and the Canadian wilderness. It was often given to individuals who made a living by trapping animals for their pelts, which were highly sought after in the fashion industry and for warmth during harsh winters.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Trapper can be found in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, where they encountered a group of Native American trappers in the early 19th century. These trappers played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the American West.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Trapper. One of the most famous was Trapper Nelson (1810-1857), a renowned American mountain man and fur trapper who spent much of his life in the Rocky Mountains. His exploits and adventures were chronicled in numerous books and legends.

Another notable Trapper was Trapper Jack Monroe (1865-1939), a Canadian fur trapper and prospector who spent years exploring the wilderness of northern British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. He became a legendary figure in Canadian folklore and was known for his survival skills and resourcefulness in the harsh environment.

In the realm of literature, Trapper John Dunn (1908-1996) was an American author and novelist who wrote several books based on his experiences as a fur trapper in the Alaskan wilderness. His most famous work, "The Trapper," published in 1935, became a classic in outdoor literature.

Trapper Jim (1860-1942), whose real name was James Dexter, was a prominent figure in the American Old West. He was a skilled trapper, hunter, and guide who worked extensively in the Yellowstone region and played a significant role in the early conservation efforts of the area.

Finally, Trapper John Felter (1925-2009) was an American actor and writer best known for his role as Trapper John McIntyre in the television series "M*A*S*H" and its spin-off series "Trapper John, M.D." His portrayal of a skilled and compassionate surgeon in the Korean War became an iconic character in American television history.

People

Trapper + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Trapper 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

Trapper: questions and answers

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

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 959 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Trapper 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 357,408 US residents.

Is Trapper a common name?

We classify Trapper as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 979 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Trapper most popular?

The single biggest year for Trapper was 2011, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Trapper is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

Is Trapper a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Trapper 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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