Ventura
An Italian name meaning "good fortune" or "prosperous wind".
Name Census estimates that about 968 living Americans carry the first name Ventura. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 85.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Ventura today is around 45 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ventura births was 1920 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ventura. 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
968
~ 1 in 354,085 Americans
Peak year
1920
33 babies that year
Average age
45
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,780
Tracked since 1908
Gender
Gender distribution for Ventura
Ventura leans heavily male at 85.2% of total registrations, but 226 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Ventura as a male name
- Ranked #9,780 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1938 (23 births)
Ventura as a female name
- Ranked #17,473 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1934 (12 births)
Popularity
Ventura: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ventura from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 228 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ventura 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 Ventura during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Venturas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Ventura, while New York, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 175 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ventura
The name Ventura has its origins in the Italian language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "ventura," which means "luck" or "fortune." This name was often given to children in hopes that they would have a fortunate and prosperous life.
One of the earliest records of the name Ventura dates back to the 13th century, when it was mentioned in the writings of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. In his famous work, The Divine Comedy, Dante referenced a character named Ventura, suggesting that the name was already in use during that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ventura. One of the most famous was Ventura Rodríguez (1717-1785), a Spanish architect who was known for his work on the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Cathedral of Pamplona.
Another prominent figure was Ventura Ruiz Aguilera (1820-1881), a Spanish poet and playwright who was considered one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement in Spanish literature. His works often explored themes of love, nature, and social injustice.
In the realm of religion, Ventura Raulica (1650-1712) was an Italian Catholic priest and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of natural theology and the reconciliation of faith with reason.
The name Ventura also has connections to military history. Ventura Fonte (1892-1965) was a Spanish general who played a crucial role in the Spanish Civil War, serving as the commander of the Nationalist forces in the Battle of Teruel.
Additionally, Ventura Rodríguez Tizón (1847-1938) was a Mexican general and politician who served as the Governor of Sinaloa and played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution.
While the name Ventura has roots in Italian culture, it has been adopted and used across various regions and languages over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal and the diverse historical figures who have carried this name.
People
Ventura + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ventura as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ventura: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ventura?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 968 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ventura 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 354,085 US residents.
Is Ventura a common name?
We classify Ventura as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,527 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ventura most popular?
The single biggest year for Ventura was 1920, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ventura is about 45 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ventura a male name?
Yes, 85.2% of people registered as Ventura 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.