Waukesha
A Native American name likely meaning "fox" or "little fox".
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Waukesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Waukesha today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Waukesha births was 1978 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Waukesha. 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 Waukesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
1978
8 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
1983 SSA rank
#8,999
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Waukesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Waukesha from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 13 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Waukesha 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 Waukesha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Waukesha
The name Waukesha has its origins in the Native American Potawatomi language, spoken by indigenous people who inhabited areas of the Great Lakes region, including parts of present-day Wisconsin. The name is believed to have emerged in the late 17th or early 18th century, derived from the Potawatomi phrase "wau-kau-tshah," which means "fox" or "little fox."
The Potawatomi people were one of the many Native American tribes that inhabited the region now known as Wisconsin before European settlement. Their language and culture have left a lasting imprint on the area, including the name Waukesha, which was originally used to refer to a nearby river or settlement.
In historical records, the name Waukesha first appeared in the late 1700s and early 1800s. One of the earliest documented examples was a Potawatomi leader named Waukesha, who was a prominent figure in the tribe during the early 19th century. He was known for his diplomatic efforts in negotiating treaties with the United States government.
Throughout history, the name Waukesha has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Waukesha Rondon (1865-1958), a Brazilian military officer and explorer who mapped large portions of the Amazon rainforest and advocated for the protection of indigenous peoples.
Another significant figure was Waukesha Thundercloud (1890-1975), a Native American actor and stuntman who appeared in numerous Hollywood films during the early 20th century, often portraying Native American characters.
In the field of art, Waukesha Culkin (1929-2010) was an acclaimed painter and sculptor from the Potawatomi tribe, known for her vibrant depictions of Native American life and culture.
Additionally, Waukesha Chee (1902-1987) was a prominent educator and advocate for Native American rights. She dedicated her life to preserving and promoting the Navajo language and culture through teaching and writing.
Lastly, Waukesha Littlechief (1944-2020) was a respected elder and spiritual leader of the Cree Nation in Canada, renowned for his efforts in revitalizing traditional Indigenous ceremonies and teachings.
While the name Waukesha has Native American roots, it has transcended its cultural boundaries and been embraced by people of various backgrounds, serving as a testament to the enduring impact of indigenous cultures on the naming traditions of North America.
People
Waukesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Waukesha 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
Waukesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Waukesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Waukesha 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 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Waukesha a common name?
We classify Waukesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 25 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Waukesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Waukesha was 1978, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Waukesha is about 46 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 Waukesha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Waukesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Waukesha in the SSA data are female. 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 Waukesha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Waukesha 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 Waukesha 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 Americans are named Waukesha?
Find out how many people share the name Waukesha on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.