How Many People Are Named May?
Complete statistics for the name May: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
May is a classic, old-school name that's very rare, with only 10,557 people named May living in the US today. That's 1 in 31,258 Americans. It peaked way back in 1919 with 991 births that year.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 3 is traditionally linked to creativity, self-expression, and joy. People associated with 3 are thought to be natural communicators who bring optimism and warmth to those around them.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 102All 49,453 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: 1919Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Rising
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 May Through the Generations
The name May has a rich history as a classic, old-school moniker. Despite its rarity, there's a significant gap between the all-time births (49,453) and the current living count (10,557), indicating many Mays have passed away. The age distribution tells a compelling story: 87% of those named May are over 60, showing a strong generational skew towards older generations. This trend is rising, which adds an intriguing layer to its demographic profile.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named May
May is an English feminine given name. It is derived from the name of the month, which comes from Maia, the name of a Roman fertility goddess.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing May's Latin roots
📄 About the Name May
How Many People Have the Name May?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 101,571 people in the United States currently share the name May. That works out to roughly 1 in every 3,263 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.
Is May a Common or Rare Name?
May 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 May Mean?
May means "born in May, goddess Maia" and comes from Latin origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 3.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of May in SSA data, approximately 2% are male and 98% are female.
When Was May Most Popular?
The name May reached peak popularity in 1919, with 991 babies registered that year. Current trend: Rising.
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 May?
Approximately 101,571 people named May live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 101,571. That works out to roughly 1 in 3,263 Americans.
Is May a rare name?
May is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 3,263 Americans has this name.
What does the name May mean?
May means "born in May, goddess Maia" and comes from Latin origins.
Is May more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 2% of people named May are male and 98% are female.
When was May most popular?
May peaked in 1919 with 991 births that year. Current trend: Rising.
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.