Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1924

Norris

Meaning a northerner, a migrant from the north Gender Boy · 3% girls Rank 2025 #6,063

An Anglo-Norman surname, from Old French norreis (“a northerner, a migrant from the north”).

Rank 2025
#6,063
among boys · ↑325 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
15
named Norris
How common
1 in 113,872
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1924
323 babies
All-time total
16,979
#920 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Norris popularity over time

16,979 babies have been named Norris 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 – 120 120 12 – #444
1890s – 146 146 15 +22% #450
1900s 5 233 238 24 +63% #371
1910s 62 1,464 1,526 153 +541% #373
1920s 121 2,588 2,709 271 +78% #330
1930s 120 2,439 2,559 256 -6% #334
1940s 103 2,277 2,380 238 -7% #389
1950s 79 2,620 2,699 270 +13% #407
1960s 23 1,710 1,733 173 -36% #501
1970s 5 962 967 97 -44% #710
1980s 5 755 760 76 -21% #963
1990s – 500 500 50 -34% #1,348
2000s – 284 284 28 -43% #2,466
2010s – 247 247 25 -13% #3,198
2020s (to 2025) – 111 111 19 -25% #3,963

The story of Norris

Norris is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,063 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 16,979 American babies have been named Norris. Its peak came in 1924, when 323 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 Norris stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Norris?

The median living Norris is about 64 years old; half are between 47 and 74. An estimated 7,800 people named Norris are alive in the United States today.

median 64 020406080100

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

Norris 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 – – 15 #6,063
2024 – – 14 #6,388
2023 – – 17 #5,601
2022 – – 28 #3,963
2021 – – 18 #5,281
2020 – – 19 #4,985
2019 – – 27 #3,967
2018 – – 24 #4,314
2017 – – 34 #3,359
2016 – – 17 #5,484
2015 – – 21 #4,660
2014 – – 35 #3,198
2013 – – 17 #5,333
2012 – – 25 #4,096
2011 – – 22 #4,465
2010 – – 25 #4,075
2009 – – 17 #5,480
2008 – – 25 #4,110
2007 – – 32 #3,428
2006 – – 20 #4,636
2005 – – 24 #3,905
2004 – – 36 #2,868
2003 – – 30 #3,172
2002 – – 27 #3,317
2001 – – 40 #2,466
2000 – – 33 #2,788
1995 – – 42 #2,012
1990 – – 69 #1,348
1985 5 #11,921 71 #1,106
1980 – – 81 #1,008
1975 – – 91 #872
1970 5 #8,913 111 #781
1965 8 #5,165 154 #618
1960 7 #5,557 246 #507
1955 7 #5,068 288 #432
1950 8 #4,222 244 #428
1945 13 #2,563 215 #411
1940 11 #2,689 205 #401
1935 10 #2,882 266 #335
1930 13 #2,524 228 #377
1925 10 #3,297 281 #351
1920 6 #4,823 228 #394
1915 9 #3,068 184 #397
1910 7 #2,080 48 #373
1905 – – 12 #730
1900 – – 18 #597
1895 – – 14 #572
1890 – – 16 #477
1885 – – 12 #570
1880 – – 12 #554

Famous people named Norris

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

  1. 1 Norris Cole Norris Cole American basketball player (born 1988) Contemporary
  2. 2 Norris Bradbury Norris Bradbury American physicist (1909–1997) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Norris?

The median living Norris is about 64 years old. Half of all living Norriss are between 47 and 74 years old.

How many people named Norris are alive today?

An estimated 7,800 people named Norris are alive in the United States, based on 16,979 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Norris mean?

An Anglo-Norman surname, from Old French norreis (“a northerner, a migrant from the north”).

How popular is the name Norris in 2025?

Norris ranked #6,063 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Norris?

16,979 babies have been named Norris in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Norris most popular?

Norris peaked in 1924, when 323 newborns received the name.

Is Norris a boy or girl name?

Norris is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 97% of babies with the name.

Is the name Norris rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Norris?

Well-known people named Norris include Norris Cole (basketball player), Norris Bradbury (physicist).

Names like Norris

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

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