How Many People Are Named Holmes?

Complete statistics for the name Holmes: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Holmes
Uncommon
Old English

Holmes is a very rare name, originating from Old English, with only 130 people bearing it in the US today, making up just 1 in 2,531,146 Americans. That's pretty unique! The majority of Holmeses are over 60, giving the name a decidedly older feel.

~150,877
Living in US
1 in 2,197
Americans
1915
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
Home ruler
🌐
Origin
Old English
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 9
Personality Traits
Wise Determined
9
Life Path Number

Life-path number 9 symbolizes humanitarianism and spiritual enlightenment.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

6,332
Worldwide Bearers
#82,794
Global Rank
🇨🇴 Colombia
2,151
🇮🇩 Indonesia
1,537
🇺🇸 United States
1,293
🇪🇨 Ecuador
332
🇧🇷 Brazil
245
🇲🇼 Malawi
169
🇵🇪 Peru
56
🇨🇩 DR Congo
55
🇺🇾 Uruguay
51
🇻🇪 Venezuela
50

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
130 (100%)
♀ Female
0 (0%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 92
30
Would be under 30 (5%)
21
Would be 30–60 (3%)
559
Would be over 60 (92%)

All 610 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1915

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Declining

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
82
Classic Feel
85
Modern Appeal
15
International
94

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Holmes Through the Generations

Holmes has seen its peak popularity in 1915 when 24 babies were given this name. Since then, it's been on a steady decline, becoming less common each generation. Today, there are 130 Holmeses living in the United States, with 559 of them being over 60 years old, indicating a strong preference for this name among older generations. This trend suggests that Holmes is an old-school name, favored by grandparents and great-grandparents, rather than modern parents.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

Virginia 16

⭐ Famous People Named Holmes

Holmes is the given name of:Holmes Alexander (1906–1985), American historian, journalist, syndicated columnist and politician Holmes Beckwith (1884–1921), American political scientist and professor who killed his dean and then himself Holmes Braddock (1925–2025), American politician Holmes Colbert, Native American leader of the Chickasaw Nation and writer of the Chickasaw Nation's constitution in the 1850s Holmes Conrad (1840–1915), American politician, lawyer and military officer Holmes Herbert (1882–1956), English character actor Holmes Rolston III, philosopher, author and professor Holmes T…

Full list on Wikipedia →

✨ Similar Names to Holmes

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Holmes's Old English roots

📄 About the Name Holmes

How Many People Have the Name Holmes?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 150,877 people in the United States currently share the name Holmes. That works out to roughly 1 in every 2,197 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.

Is Holmes a Common or Rare Name?

Holmes is classified as Uncommon. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Holmes Mean?

Holmes means "home ruler" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 9.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Holmes in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.

When Was Holmes Most Popular?

The name Holmes reached peak popularity in 1915, with 24 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Holmes?

Approximately 150,877 people named Holmes live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 150,877. That works out to roughly 1 in 2,197 Americans.

Is Holmes a rare name?

Holmes is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 2,197 Americans has this name.

What does the name Holmes mean?

Holmes means "home ruler" and comes from Old English origins.

Is Holmes more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Holmes are male and 0% are female.

When was Holmes most popular?

Holmes peaked in 1915 with 24 births that year. Current trend: Declining.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US150,877
All-Time Births150,877
1 in X1 in 2,197
RarityUncommon
GenderMale
Avg Age92
Peak Year1915
World Rank#82,794
Male %100%
Female %0%

Check the statistics for any first or last name

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.