Horace
Every Horace since 1880 — 54,356 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Horace
Horace is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,245 in 2025 with 14 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 54,356 American babies have been named Horace. Its peak came in 1921, when 1,313 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 Horace stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Horace 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 | — | — | 14 | #6,245 |
| 2024 | — | — | 18 | #5,307 |
| 2023 | — | — | 18 | #5,324 |
| 2022 | — | — | 22 | #4,611 |
| 2021 | — | — | 17 | #5,419 |
| 2020 | — | — | 18 | #5,111 |
| 2019 | — | — | 22 | #4,535 |
| 2018 | — | — | 20 | #4,812 |
| 2017 | — | — | 28 | #3,821 |
| 2016 | — | — | 23 | #4,382 |
| 2015 | — | — | 23 | #4,339 |
| 2014 | — | — | 40 | #2,905 |
| 2013 | — | — | 17 | #5,256 |
| 2012 | — | — | 26 | #3,938 |
| 2011 | — | — | 35 | #3,197 |
| 2010 | — | — | 28 | #3,748 |
| 2009 | — | — | 21 | #4,643 |
| 2008 | — | — | 28 | #3,768 |
| 2007 | — | — | 27 | #3,826 |
| 2006 | — | — | 30 | #3,467 |
| 2005 | — | — | 35 | #2,975 |
| 2004 | — | — | 48 | #2,360 |
| 2003 | — | — | 38 | #2,640 |
| 2002 | — | — | 38 | #2,573 |
| 2001 | — | — | 59 | #1,878 |
| 2000 | — | — | 60 | #1,806 |
| 1995 | — | — | 70 | #1,420 |
| 1990 | — | — | 105 | #1,035 |
| 1985 | — | — | 99 | #912 |
| 1980 | — | — | 122 | #793 |
| 1975 | — | — | 146 | #682 |
| 1970 | — | — | 241 | #520 |
| 1965 | — | — | 306 | #442 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,719 | 419 | #386 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,526 | 548 | #311 |
| 1950 | — | — | 687 | #251 |
| 1945 | — | — | 598 | #225 |
| 1940 | — | — | 661 | #199 |
| 1935 | — | — | 788 | #174 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,843 | 973 | #158 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,021 | 1,140 | #145 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,162 | 1,276 | #128 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,607 | 1,114 | #122 |
| 1910 | — | — | 261 | #123 |
| 1905 | — | — | 212 | #101 |
| 1900 | — | — | 244 | #97 |
| 1895 | — | — | 211 | #90 |
| 1890 | — | — | 162 | #103 |
| 1885 | — | — | 155 | #94 |
| 1880 | — | — | 199 | #79 |
Famous people named Horace
- Horace Writer · -65–-8
- Horace Vernet Painter · 1789–1863
- Horace Bénédict de Saussure Mountaineer · 1740–1799
- Horace Walpole Politician · 1717–1797
- Horace François Bastien Sébastiani de La Porta Politician · 1772–1851
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Horace in 2025?
Horace ranked #6,245 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Horace?
54,356 babies have been named Horace in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Horace most popular?
Horace peaked in 1921, when 1,313 newborns received the name.
Is Horace a boy or girl name?
Horace is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Horace rising or falling?
Horace is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Horace?
Well-known people named Horace include Horace (writer), Horace Vernet (painter), Horace Bénédict de Saussure (mountaineer).