Wasco
Of indigenous American origin, a name associated with a Native American tribe.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Wasco. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wasco today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wasco births was 1917 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wasco. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wasco. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1917
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1919 SSA rank
#4,145
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Wasco: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Wasco 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 Wasco during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Geography
Where Wascos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Wasco
The name Wasco has its roots in the indigenous Wasco-Wishram language spoken by Native American tribes who inhabited the Columbia River Gorge region of the Pacific Northwest, particularly in present-day Oregon and Washington. The name is believed to have originated in the late 16th or early 17th century.
The etymology of the name Wasco is somewhat uncertain, but it is thought to be derived from the Wasco-Wishram word "wácxan," which means "cup" or "small bowl." This connection likely stems from the tribe's reliance on the abundant natural resources of the Columbia River, including the practice of gathering and storing food in woven baskets and bowls.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Wasco can be found in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which explored the Pacific Northwest in the early 19th century. The explorers encountered and documented the Wasco people and their way of life along the Columbia River in 1805.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Wasco. One of the earliest was Wasco-Pom (c. 1790-1858), a prominent leader of the Wasco-Wishram tribe who played a crucial role in negotiating treaties with the United States government in the mid-19th century. Another notable figure was Wasco Tawatoy (c. 1855-1925), a respected spiritual leader and medicine man among the Wasco-Wishram people.
In more recent times, Wasco Jim (1909-1996) was a skilled Wasco-Wishram basket weaver and storyteller who worked to preserve and pass on the traditions of his people. Wasco Charlie (1925-2009) was a renowned Wasco-Wishram artist and sculptor, known for his intricate wood carvings depicting scenes from tribal life and mythology.
It is also worth mentioning Wasco George (1944-2015), a prominent environmental activist and advocate for the protection of the Columbia River Gorge and the rights of Native American tribes in the region. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
While the name Wasco may not be as widely known as some other indigenous names, it holds deep cultural significance and a rich history rooted in the traditions and experiences of the Wasco-Wishram people. The name serves as a reminder of the enduring presence and resilience of Native American cultures in the Pacific Northwest.
People
Wasco + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wasco as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wasco: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wasco?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wasco 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 - US residents.
Is Wasco a common name?
We classify Wasco as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wasco most popular?
The single biggest year for Wasco was 1917, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wasco is about 0 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 Wasco in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wasco a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wasco 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 Wasco still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wasco 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 Wasco 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 many people share the name Wasco?
Want to know how many people have the name Wasco? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.