French
Every French since 1882 — 1,129 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of French
French 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 1882, 1,129 American babies have been named French. Its peak came in 1920, when 35 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 French stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
French year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | 9 | #3,745 |
| 1970 | — | — | 6 | #4,420 |
| 1965 | — | — | 6 | #3,665 |
| 1960 | — | — | 6 | #3,797 |
| 1955 | — | — | 11 | #2,478 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,363 |
| 1945 | — | — | 10 | #2,303 |
| 1940 | — | — | 21 | #1,493 |
| 1935 | — | — | 24 | #1,404 |
| 1930 | — | — | 13 | #2,221 |
| 1925 | — | — | 27 | #1,433 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,261 | 30 | #1,338 |
| 1915 | — | — | 31 | #1,166 |
| 1910 | — | — | 7 | #1,354 |
| 1905 | — | — | 6 | #1,148 |
| 1900 | — | — | 10 | #864 |
| 1895 | — | — | 8 | #821 |
| 1890 | — | — | 10 | #644 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #991 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named French
- French Montana Singer · b. 1984
- French Stewart Actor · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name French in 2025?
French 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 French?
1,129 babies have been named French in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name French most popular?
French peaked in 1920, when 35 newborns received the name.
Is French a boy or girl name?
French is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name French rising or falling?
French has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named French?
Well-known people named French include French Montana (singer), French Stewart (actor).