How Many People Are Named Read?
Complete statistics for the name Read: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Read is a very rare male name, with only 214 people bearing it in the US today, making up just 1 in 1,539,691 Americans. The name peaked in popularity back in 1949 with 14 births, and now it's slowly declining, becoming less common each year.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life-path number 1 represents leadership and independence.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 59All 308 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: 1949Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Read Through the Generations
Read has been a name that's seen its best days in the past, with its peak occurring in 1949 when 14 babies were given this name. Today, the majority of people named Read are over 60, indicating a strong generational skew towards older individuals. With an average age of 59, the name carries a sense of history and tradition, though its usage is on a slow decline, suggesting it's a name that's considered more classic than modern.
⭐ Famous People Named Read
Read is a given name of the following notable people:Read Montague American neuroscientist and popular science author Read Samadov, Azerbaijani chess player Read Viemeister (1922–1993), American industrial designer…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Read's Old English roots
📄 About the Name Read
How Many People Have the Name Read?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 16,452 people in the United States currently share the name Read. That works out to roughly 1 in every 20,146 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Read a Common or Rare Name?
Read is classified as Rare. 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 Read Mean?
Read means "Derived from the Old English word 'rædan', meaning 'to advise'" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 1.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Read in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Read Most Popular?
The name Read reached peak popularity in 1949, with 14 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly 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 Read?
Approximately 16,452 people named Read live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 16,452. That works out to roughly 1 in 20,146 Americans.
Is Read a rare name?
Read is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 20,146 Americans has this name.
What does the name Read mean?
Read means "Derived from the Old English word 'rædan', meaning 'to advise'" and comes from Old English origins.
Is Read more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Read are male and 0% are female.
When was Read most popular?
Read peaked in 1949 with 14 births that year. Current trend: Slowly 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.