Fun Facts About the Name Horace
- A favorite of earlier generations: Horace appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 5 separate runs, totaling 17 years. Its last run lasted 3 consecutive years, from 1900 through 1902.
- More than 54 thousand babies named Horace: U.S. records list 54,357 babies given the name Horace from 1880 through 2025. Even 202 girls received the name Horace - about 1 girl for every 268 boys.
What Does the Name Horace Mean?
Horace is the English form of the Latin family name Horatius; its meaning is uncertain. Horatius was a Roman nomen gentilicium, or clan name, built with the common Latin family-name ending -ius, but the root Horat- is not clearly Latin. A traditional explanation links it to Latin hora, "hour," yet that is a later interpretation rather than a demonstrated etymology. An Etruscan origin has also been suggested for the family name, which is plausible for an old Roman clan but remains unproven.
Horace Name History & Origins
The name Horatius belonged to the Roman Horatii, a patrician clan. Roman tradition told of the three Horatii brothers who fought the three Curiatii for Rome in the reign of Tullus Hostilius; the story is legendary rather than contemporary history. The best-known historical bearer is the poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 - 8 BC), whose Odes, Satires, and Ars Poetica were widely read in later Europe; English speakers call him Horace, but the given name is simply the English form of his Latin family name. The English given name is recorded by the sixteenth century, with Horace Vere (1565 - 1635) as an early example. Later bearers include Horace Walpole (1717 - 1797) and Horace Mann (1796 - 1859).
How Popular is the Name Horace?
Horace recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1921. The name enjoyed early prominence in the late 19th century before its sustained modern rise.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | #6,940 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #6,099 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #6,718 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #4,678 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #4,525 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #5,290 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #5,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #2,906 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #4,355 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #4,398 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #3,585 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1938 | #4,591 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,267 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #3,602 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #3,247 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #4,112 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #4,843 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1929 | #3,021 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #3,941 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #2,935 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1926 | #3,382 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #3,021 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #3,483 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #4,162 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #4,491 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #2,607 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1914 | #3,368 | 6 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,245 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,287 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #5,317 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #4,610 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #5,417 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #5,109 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #4,534 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #4,811 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #3,820 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2016 | #4,381 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2015 | #4,339 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #2,905 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2013 | #5,256 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2012 | #3,938 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2011 | #3,197 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2010 | #3,748 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2009 | #4,643 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #3,768 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #3,826 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #3,467 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #2,975 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2004 | #2,360 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 2003 | #2,640 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 2002 | #2,573 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2001 | #1,878 | 59 | 0.0030% |
| 2000 | #1,806 | 60 | 0.0031% |
| 1999 | #2,079 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 1998 | #1,942 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 1997 | #1,939 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 1996 | #1,605 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 1995 | #1,420 | 70 | 0.0037% |
| 1994 | #1,298 | 81 | 0.0042% |
| 1993 | #1,181 | 90 | 0.0046% |
| 1992 | #1,159 | 91 | 0.0046% |
| 1991 | #1,018 | 112 | 0.0055% |
| 1990 | #1,035 | 105 | 0.0051% |
| 1989 | #956 | 114 | 0.0057% |
| 1988 | #952 | 103 | 0.0054% |
| 1987 | #1,049 | 83 | 0.0044% |
| 1986 | #893 | 104 | 0.0056% |
| 1985 | #912 | 99 | 0.0054% |
| 1984 | #828 | 112 | 0.0062% |
| 1983 | #814 | 115 | 0.0064% |
| 1982 | #736 | 141 | 0.0078% |
| 1981 | #782 | 125 | 0.0070% |
| 1980 | #793 | 122 | 0.0068% |
| 1979 | #687 | 155 | 0.0090% |
| 1978 | #693 | 146 | 0.0089% |
| 1977 | #673 | 158 | 0.0096% |
| 1976 | #646 | 163 | 0.0104% |
| 1975 | #682 | 146 | 0.0094% |
| 1974 | #611 | 174 | 0.0111% |
| 1973 | #599 | 174 | 0.0112% |
| 1972 | #562 | 204 | 0.0126% |
| 1971 | #511 | 255 | 0.0144% |
| 1970 | #520 | 241 | 0.0130% |
| 1969 | #519 | 226 | 0.0126% |
| 1968 | #480 | 248 | 0.0143% |
| 1967 | #457 | 273 | 0.0157% |
| 1966 | #463 | 271 | 0.0152% |
| 1965 | #442 | 306 | 0.0164% |
| 1964 | #428 | 350 | 0.0176% |
| 1963 | #444 | 320 | 0.0158% |
| 1962 | #431 | 343 | 0.0166% |
| 1961 | #404 | 383 | 0.0180% |
| 1960 | #386 | 419 | 0.0197% |
| 1959 | #369 | 452 | 0.0212% |
| 1958 | #373 | 432 | 0.0204% |
| 1957 | #330 | 547 | 0.0254% |
| 1956 | #320 | 539 | 0.0255% |
| 1955 | #311 | 548 | 0.0266% |
| 1954 | #284 | 611 | 0.0300% |
| 1953 | #272 | 655 | 0.0332% |
| 1952 | #272 | 646 | 0.0332% |
| 1951 | #276 | 602 | 0.0320% |
| 1950 | #251 | 687 | 0.0384% |
| 1949 | #246 | 685 | 0.0386% |
| 1948 | #240 | 719 | 0.0410% |
| 1947 | #237 | 741 | 0.0405% |
| 1946 | #234 | 669 | 0.0412% |
| 1945 | #225 | 598 | 0.0444% |
| 1944 | #215 | 648 | 0.0475% |
| 1943 | #213 | 684 | 0.0479% |
| 1942 | #208 | 729 | 0.0528% |
| 1941 | #193 | 742 | 0.0604% |
| 1940 | #199 | 661 | 0.0570% |
| 1939 | #188 | 711 | 0.0642% |
| 1938 | #188 | 723 | 0.0652% |
| 1937 | #180 | 745 | 0.0698% |
| 1936 | #188 | 691 | 0.0666% |
| 1935 | #174 | 788 | 0.0757% |
| 1934 | #170 | 816 | 0.0790% |
| 1933 | #165 | 865 | 0.0872% |
| 1932 | #168 | 883 | 0.0846% |
| 1931 | #160 | 931 | 0.0895% |
| 1930 | #158 | 973 | 0.0887% |
| 1929 | #153 | 1,004 | 0.0933% |
| 1928 | #147 | 1,098 | 0.0991% |
| 1927 | #145 | 1,180 | 0.1047% |
| 1926 | #149 | 1,107 | 0.0997% |
| 1925 | #145 | 1,140 | 0.1022% |
| 1924 | #143 | 1,166 | 0.1029% |
| 1923 | #134 | 1,242 | 0.1133% |
| 1922 | #132 | 1,251 | 0.1150% |
| 1921 | #129 | 1,313 | 0.1192% |
| 1920 | #128 | 1,276 | 0.1199% |
| 1919 | #127 | 1,215 | 0.1240% |
| 1918 | #132 | 1,199 | 0.1183% |
| 1917 | #125 | 1,182 | 0.1277% |
| 1916 | #126 | 1,106 | 0.1243% |
| 1915 | #122 | 1,114 | 0.1313% |
| 1914 | #125 | 840 | 0.1283% |
| 1913 | #123 | 657 | 0.1282% |
| 1912 | #119 | 615 | 0.1430% |
| 1911 | #123 | 300 | 0.1328% |
| 1910 | #123 | 261 | 0.1344% |
| 1909 | #109 | 252 | 0.1537% |
| 1908 | #107 | 235 | 0.1523% |
| 1907 | #108 | 223 | 0.1519% |
| 1906 | #106 | 202 | 0.1517% |
| 1905 | #101 | 212 | 0.1602% |
| 1904 | #102 | 205 | 0.1600% |
| 1903 | #111 | 175 | 0.1468% |
| 1902 | #100 | 199 | 0.1622% |
| 1901 | #96 | 178 | 0.1672% |
| 1900 | #97 | 244 | 0.1622% |
| 1899 | #105 | 169 | 0.1591% |
| 1898 | #101 | 189 | 0.1541% |
| 1897 | #107 | 160 | 0.1419% |
| 1896 | #95 | 204 | 0.1706% |
| 1895 | #90 | 211 | 0.1797% |
| 1894 | #97 | 196 | 0.1693% |
| 1893 | #104 | 171 | 0.1522% |
| 1892 | #100 | 187 | 0.1532% |
| 1891 | #97 | 165 | 0.1631% |
| 1890 | #103 | 162 | 0.1459% |
| 1889 | #100 | 166 | 0.1501% |
| 1888 | #103 | 165 | 0.1365% |
| 1887 | #96 | 160 | 0.1578% |
| 1886 | #99 | 156 | 0.1408% |
| 1885 | #94 | 155 | 0.1438% |
| 1884 | #98 | 154 | 0.1346% |
| 1883 | #83 | 167 | 0.1596% |
| 1882 | #88 | 176 | 0.1548% |
| 1881 | #85 | 152 | 0.1509% |
| 1880 | #79 | 199 | 0.1801% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Horace
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Horace Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Horace's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Horace's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.