Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1921

Lafayette

Meaning the little beech tree Gender Boy Rank 2025 #10,262

French surname from Occitan, "the little beech tree".

Rank 2025
#10,262
among boys · ↓762 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Lafayette
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1921
86 babies
All-time total
4,882
#1,807 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Lafayette popularity over time

4,882 babies have been named Lafayette since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.080.150.230.318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 210 210 21 – #326
1890s – 145 145 15 -31% #407
1900s – 128 128 13 -12% #526
1910s 5 457 462 46 +261% #717
1920s – 576 576 58 +25% #701
1930s 5 527 532 53 -8% #726
1940s – 479 479 48 -10% #856
1950s – 499 499 50 +4% #937
1960s 5 466 471 47 -6% #976
1970s 6 401 407 41 -14% #1,099
1980s – 342 342 34 -16% #1,443
1990s – 289 289 29 -15% #2,121
2000s – 140 140 14 -52% #4,541
2010s – 137 137 14 -2% #4,801
2020s (to 2025) – 65 65 11 -21% #5,919

The story of Lafayette

Lafayette is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,262 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 4,882 American babies have been named Lafayette. Its peak came in 1921, when 86 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 Lafayette stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lafayette?

The median living Lafayette is about 53 years old; half are between 35 and 69. An estimated 2,400 people named Lafayette are alive in the United States today.

median 53 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lafayette 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 – – 7 #10,262
2024 – – 8 #9,500
2023 – – 10 #8,032
2022 – – 14 #6,347
2021 – – 15 #5,919
2020 – – 11 #7,298
2019 – – 10 #7,968
2018 – – 15 #5,935
2017 – – 8 #9,356
2016 – – 14 #6,211
2015 – – 10 #7,815
2014 – – 14 #6,181
2013 – – 18 #5,089
2012 – – 20 #4,801
2011 – – 15 #5,841
2010 – – 13 #6,576
2009 – – 12 #7,065
2008 – – 11 #7,501
2007 – – 16 #5,578
2006 – – 14 #5,971
2005 – – 14 #5,760
2004 – – 14 #5,664
2003 – – 18 #4,541
2002 – – 9 #7,395
2001 – – 17 #4,602
2000 – – 15 #4,936
1995 – – 31 #2,476
1990 – – 33 #2,194
1985 – – 47 #1,443
1980 – – 36 #1,644
1975 – – 26 #1,861
1970 – – 40 #1,323
1965 – – 50 #1,048
1960 – – 43 #1,200
1955 – – 61 #961
1950 – – 54 #942
1945 – – 54 #856
1940 – – 44 #976
1935 – – 49 #909
1930 – – 43 #1,062
1925 – – 60 #864
1920 – – 67 #821
1915 – – 51 #865
1910 – – 15 #804
1905 – – 8 #968
1900 – – 17 #610
1895 – – 23 #407
1890 – – 12 #583
1885 – – 23 #372
1880 – – 22 #368

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lafayette, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lafayette?

The median living Lafayette is about 53 years old. Half of all living Lafayettes are between 35 and 69 years old.

How many people named Lafayette are alive today?

An estimated 2,400 people named Lafayette are alive in the United States, based on 4,882 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lafayette mean?

French surname from Occitan, "the little beech tree".

How popular is the name Lafayette in 2025?

Lafayette ranked #10,262 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lafayette?

4,882 babies have been named Lafayette in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lafayette most popular?

Lafayette peaked in 1921, when 86 newborns received the name.

Is Lafayette a boy or girl name?

Lafayette is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lafayette rising or falling?

Lafayette is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Lafayette

Names that sound and feel close to Lafayette: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lafayette with similar names → More names starting with L →