Total births
1,186
Unisex name · since 1880
Fate
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 1,186 babies named Fate, peaking in 1919. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,186
- total births
- 1880–2023
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
Fate sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,186 recorded since 1880.
Fate has 1,186 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2023.
- 1,186 total births
- 1880–2023 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 17% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,186 boys have been named Fate since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2023.
- 1,186
- total births
- 1880–2023
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Fate was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
35 babies were named Fate in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
Fate's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Fate splits its recorded history at 1934: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1898 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1919 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Fate at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1919
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Fate popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2023
- Peak year (1919)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Fate popularity over time - girls
143 total births recorded since 1997 (Fate as girls' name)
Fate by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Fate's strongest decade.
199 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Fate births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
101 births
- 1890s
1890s
101 births
- 1900s
1900s
82 births
- 1910s
1910s
188 births
- 1920s
1920s
199 births
- 1930s
1930s
152 births
- 1940s
1940s
115 births
- 1950s 72
1950s
72 births
- 1960s 42
1960s
42 births
- 1970s 23
1970s
23 births
- 1980s 17
1980s
17 births
- 1990s 23
1990s
23 births
- 2000s 32
2000s
32 births
- 2010s 19
2010s
19 births
- 2020s 20
2020s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 199 births (17% of all-time use).
How Fate compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Fate's total volume
Fate vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Fate by state
Where Fate concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tennessee | | 46 | 3.9% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 20 | 1.7% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 17 | 1.4% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 13 | 1.1% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 13 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 8 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Texas | | 5 | 0.4% |
Tennessee share of Fate's total US births 3.9%
Even split
46 of 1,186 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Fate? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 1,186 babies named Fate. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 1919, with 35 births.
When was Fate most popular? ▼
Fate was most popular in the 1920s decade with 199 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Fate most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Fate are Tennessee (46 births), Alabama (20 births), North Carolina (17 births).
Is Fate a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Fate is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,186 births, and as a girl's name it has 143 births.
How long has the name Fate been used? ▼
Records for Fate go back to 1880, giving 144 years of history through 2023.
What names are similar to Fate? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Fateh, Fatih, Fatima, Fatehveer, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Fate's data
- Fate's decade-level peak was the 1920s (199 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Tennessee records the most Fates (46 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Tennessee names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Fate
Nearby Names Like Fate
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Fate
Fateh Boy
#2188 603 births
Fatih Boy
#10283 114 births
Fatima Boy
46 births
Fatehveer Boy
#6811 40 births
Fathi Boy
36 births
Compare Fate side by side: Fate vs Fateh Fate vs Fatih Fate vs Fatima
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Ehren #8456
1,186 births · Peak 1980
Donaven #10131
1,186 births · Peak 2002
Virgel
1,187 births · Peak 1920
Gilmer #9942
1,187 births · Peak 1918
Erickson #3361
1,187 births · Peak 2008
Kassius #1901
1,187 births · Peak 2022
Kellin #2982
1,185 births · Peak 2014
Tennyson #3801
1,188 births · Peak 2014
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Fate: Baby Name Since 1880 - 1,186 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/fate. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Fate draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.