Wince
To writhe or twist in pain, expressing discomfort or distress.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Wince. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wince today is around 86 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wince births was 1914 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wince. 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
- • The typical person named Wince is about 86 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Winces were born before 1950.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wince. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1914
6 babies that year
Average age
86
years old
1946 SSA rank
#4,008
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Wince: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wince from the 1890s through to the 1940s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 6 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
Wince 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 Wince 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 Wince
The given name Wince is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wincan," which means "to wince" or "to flinch." This term was often used to describe a physical reaction or expression of discomfort or pain. The name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, particularly between the 5th and 11th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wince can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Wince de Stowe, suggesting that the name was already in use during the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Wince was Sir Wince de Montfort, a knight who fought alongside Simon de Montfort during the Second Barons' War against King Henry III. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Lewes in 1264.
During the Renaissance period, a prominent scholar and philosopher named Wince Everard (1497-1572) made significant contributions to the field of natural philosophy. He was known for his work on optics and his treatise on the nature of light.
In the 17th century, Wince Cromwell (1624-1689) was a notable English politician and military leader who served as a Member of Parliament and played a pivotal role in the English Civil War, fighting alongside his cousin, Oliver Cromwell.
Another notable figure was Wince Cartwright (1715-1780), a renowned English inventor and clergyman. He is credited with developing one of the earliest power looms, which revolutionized the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.
Despite its historical roots, the name Wince has become relatively uncommon in modern times, likely due to its unusual connotation and association with discomfort or pain. However, it remains a unique and intriguing name with a rich cultural heritage and linguistic origins.
People
Wince + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wince 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
Wince: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wince?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wince 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Wince a common name?
We classify Wince as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wince most popular?
The single biggest year for Wince was 1914, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wince is about 86 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 Wince in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wince a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wince 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 Wince still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wince 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 Wince 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 are named Wince?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.