Declining since 1985, #6,143 for boys today.
Popularity of Horace since 1880
Babies named Horace per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Horace's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,650 |
| 1890s | 1,814 |
| 1900s | 2,125 |
| 1910s | 8,489 |
| 1920s | 11,777 |
| 1930s | 8,126 |
| 1940s | 6,876 |
| 1950s | 5,719 |
| 1960s | 3,138 |
| 1970s | 1,816 |
| 1980s | 1,118 |
| 1990s | 753 |
| 2000s | 384 |
| 2010s | 262 |
| 2020s | 107 |
Meaning & origin
Horace is a historic masculine name derived from the Roman family name Horatius. While its peak popularity was in 1880, it has become uncommon since the mid 20th century. The name has a trajectory that has been falling since 1985, with very few births in recent years. It is not strongly associated with any particular U.S. state.
Horace is the English form of the Latin Horatius, a Roman family name of uncertain origin, possibly Etruscan. It is best known through the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 8 BCE), commonly referred to as Horace. The name saw a revival in the English-speaking world in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Where Horace is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Horace” around the world
Where Horace lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Horace
Names that share Horace's style, for a brother or sister.
