Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1926

Napoleon

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #4,651 Trend → Stable

From French Napoléon, from Italian Napoleone, name of an early saint, of uncertain origin; possibly from the Germanic clan name Nibelung.

Rank 2025
#4,651
among boys · ↑2,476 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
22
named Napoleon
How common
1 in 77,640
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1926
122 babies
All-time total
7,810
#1,390 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Napoleon popularity over time

7,810 babies have been named Napoleon 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 267 267 27 – #297
1890s – 227 227 23 -15% #355
1900s – 239 239 24 +5% #390
1910s – 797 797 80 +233% #402
1920s 5 1,036 1,041 104 +31% #558
1930s – 798 798 80 -23% #594
1940s – 703 703 70 -12% #715
1950s – 899 899 90 +28% #666
1960s – 795 795 80 -12% #753
1970s – 525 525 53 -34% #973
1980s – 532 532 53 +1% #1,170
1990s – 388 388 39 -27% #1,542
2000s – 312 312 31 -20% #2,243
2010s – 204 204 20 -35% #2,983
2020s (to 2025) – 83 83 14 -32% #4,651

Where Napoleon is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 22 0.01 outside top 500
2027 21 0.01 outside top 500
2028 21 0.01 outside top 500
2029 21 0.01 outside top 500
2030 21 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Napoleon

Napoleon is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,651 in 2025 with 22 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 7,810 American babies have been named Napoleon. Its peak came in 1926, when 122 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 Napoleon stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Napoleon?

The median living Napoleon is about 54 years old; half are between 35 and 69. An estimated 3,800 people named Napoleon are alive in the United States today.

median 54 020406080100

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

Napoleon 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 – – 22 #4,651
2024 – – 12 #7,127
2023 – – 13 #6,784
2022 – – 10 #8,129
2021 – – 14 #6,240
2020 – – 12 #6,908
2019 – – 15 #6,019
2018 – – 26 #4,074
2017 – – 15 #5,979
2016 – – 13 #6,604
2015 – – 18 #5,211
2014 – – 17 #5,410
2013 – – 38 #2,983
2012 – – 19 #4,982
2011 – – 20 #4,777
2010 – – 23 #4,326
2009 – – 19 #5,050
2008 – – 24 #4,225
2007 – – 32 #3,424
2006 – – 28 #3,660
2005 – – 31 #3,296
2004 – – 30 #3,265
2003 – – 33 #2,974
2002 – – 29 #3,162
2001 – – 42 #2,370
2000 – – 44 #2,243
1995 – – 38 #2,161
1990 – – 55 #1,542
1985 – – 53 #1,326
1980 – – 53 #1,284
1975 – – 56 #1,133
1970 – – 62 #1,039
1965 – – 83 #811
1960 – – 75 #884
1955 – – 121 #666
1950 – – 77 #782
1945 – – 60 #805
1940 – – 58 #826
1935 – – 93 #603
1930 – – 80 #697
1925 – – 111 #598
1920 – – 96 #648
1915 – – 102 #560
1910 – – 44 #402
1905 – – 25 #446
1900 – – 32 #399
1895 – – 27 #365
1890 – – 25 #355
1885 – – 26 #339
1880 – – 31 #303

Famous people named Napoleon

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Napoleon Napoleon Emperor of the French (1804–1814; 1815) 1769–1821 · 18th century
  2. 2 Napoleon III Napoleon III Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870 1808–1873 · 19th century
  3. 3 Napoleon II Napoleon II Son of Napoleon I (1811–1832) 19th century
  4. 4 Napoleon Hill Napoleon Hill American author (1883–1970) 19th century
  5. 5 Napoleon Chagnon Napoleon Chagnon American cultural anthropologist (1938–2019) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Napoleon?

The median living Napoleon is about 54 years old. Half of all living Napoleons are between 35 and 69 years old.

How many people named Napoleon are alive today?

An estimated 3,800 people named Napoleon are alive in the United States, based on 7,810 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Napoleon mean?

From French Napoléon, from Italian Napoleone, name of an early saint, of uncertain origin; possibly from the Germanic clan name Nibelung.

How popular is the name Napoleon in 2025?

Napoleon ranked #4,651 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 22 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Napoleon?

7,810 babies have been named Napoleon in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Napoleon most popular?

Napoleon peaked in 1926, when 122 newborns received the name.

Is Napoleon a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Napoleon rising or falling?

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

Will Napoleon become more popular?

Napoleon is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 21 boys named Napoleon in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Napoleon?

Well-known people named Napoleon include Napoleon (politician), Napoleon III (politician), Napoleon II (politician).

Names like Napoleon

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

Compare Napoleon with similar names → More names starting with N →