Festus
From fēstus (“joyful, merry”).
Every Festus since 1883 — 371 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Festus
Festus is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1883, 371 American babies have been named Festus. Its peak came in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Festus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Festus year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 5 | #12,831 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | 5 | #12,674 |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 5 | #11,453 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | 5 | #5,750 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 8 | #3,049 |
| 1950 | 6 | #3,444 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,065 |
| 1930 | 6 | #3,729 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,237 |
| 1920 | 10 | #2,840 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,359 |
| 1910 | 6 | #1,475 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,387 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #987 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Festus
- Festus Mogae Politician · b. 1939
- Festus Historian · 390–380
- Festus Ezeli Basketball player · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Festus mean?
From fēstus (“joyful, merry”).
How popular is the name Festus in 2025?
Festus did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Festus?
371 babies have been named Festus in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Festus most popular?
Festus peaked in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name.
Is Festus a boy or girl name?
Festus is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Festus rising or falling?
Festus is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Festus?
Well-known people named Festus include Festus Mogae (politician), Festus (historian), Festus Ezeli (basketball player).