Usher
A name derived from an occupational term meaning "doorman" or "attendant".
Name Census estimates that about 1,183 living Americans carry the first name Usher. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Usher today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Usher births was 2024 (61 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Usher. 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
- • Usher is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 17 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 289,733 Americans
Peak year
2024
61 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,332
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Usher: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Usher from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 421 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Usher remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Usher 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 Usher during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ushers live
Origin
Meaning and history of Usher
The name Usher has its origins in the Old French word "ussier" or "huissier," which was derived from the Latin "ostiarius," meaning "doorkeeper" or "porter." This connection to the occupation of guarding doors or entrances is believed to be the primary source of the name's meaning.
In the Middle Ages, ushers held important positions in royal courts and noble households, responsible for introducing guests, maintaining order during ceremonies, and ensuring the smooth flow of events. The name gained prominence during this period, closely associated with these esteemed roles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Usher can be found in the 13th century, when a man named Usher de Boisfeuillet was mentioned in French records from 1263. This suggests that the name was in use as a given name by that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Usher. One of the most famous was Usher, Archbishop of York, who lived from 1170 to 1195 and played a significant role in the political and ecclesiastical affairs of England during the reigns of Henry II and Richard I.
Another prominent figure was Usher Gahagan (1555-1627), an Irish Catholic priest and author who wrote several works on Church history and theology. His name was sometimes spelled as "Ussher" or "Uscher."
In the field of literature, Usher Burdett (1670-1744) was an English playwright and poet, best known for his play "The Conspiracy," which was performed at the Theatre Royal in 1697.
Usher Parsons (1788-1868) was an American physician and surgeon who served as a professor at Brown University and made significant contributions to the field of medicine.
Usher L. Burdick (1879-1960) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota from 1935 to 1937.
These examples illustrate the diverse array of individuals who have carried the name Usher throughout history, spanning various professions, nationalities, and time periods. While the name's popularity has fluctuated over the centuries, its origins and connections to the role of a doorkeeper or usher have endured, providing a fascinating glimpse into the rich historical tapestry woven by this distinctive name.
People
Usher + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Usher as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Usher: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Usher?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,183 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Usher 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 289,733 US residents.
Is Usher a common name?
We classify Usher as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,225 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Usher most popular?
The single biggest year for Usher was 2024, when 61 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Usher is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Usher a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Usher 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.