Declining since 1989, #7,491 for girls today.
Popularity of Caprice since 1949
Babies named Caprice per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 7 | 0 |
| 1950s | 230 | 0 |
| 1960s | 621 | 0 |
| 1970s | 563 | 43 |
| 1980s | 537 | 19 |
| 1990s | 676 | 63 |
| 2000s | 467 | 33 |
| 2010s | 215 | 17 |
| 2020s | 67 | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Caprice is a word name that has been used as a given name in the United States since at least 1949, when it first appeared in Social Security records. Its peak popularity came in 1966, though even then it was a rare choice. The name has been on a downward trajectory since 1989, and it currently ranks 7,491, with approximately 1 in every 114,805 female newborns receiving it in 2025. Despite its rarity, Caprice carries a distinctive and whimsical flair, drawn from the Italian and French word for a sudden fancy or change of mind. No U.S. states have recorded it among their top names, underscoring its uncommon but enduring appeal among parents seeking a unique, elegant-sounding name.
Caprice derives from the Italian 'capriccio,' meaning a sudden start or whim, which itself may come from 'capro' (goat), suggesting a frolicsome or unpredictable nature. The word entered English via French, and its use as a given name in the United States is a modern, word-name adoption, first recorded in the mid-20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cappy, Capri, Cici
Variants: Capri
Sibling names for Caprice
Names that share Caprice's style, for a brother or sister.
