Boys' name · since 1883
Festus
Since 1883, U.S. Social Security records show 371 babies named Festus, peaking in 1916. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9,438 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 371
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak decade
Festus is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 371 have been recorded since 1883.
Festus has 371 recorded births among boys since 1883, 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 1883 to 2023.
- #9,438 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 371 born since 1883
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Festus ranks #9,438 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 371 born since 1883, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9,438 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 371
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak decade
Festus's 371 recorded births place it above 79.21% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Festus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Festus's full recorded timeline at 1928, 41% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 59% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1885, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1916 peak of 16 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Festus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2023
- Peak year (1916)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 141 years of records
Festus by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (102 births, 27% of the file).
1920s was Festus's strongest decade.
102 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Festus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 26
1880s
26 births
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1900s 11
1900s
11 births
- 1910s
1910s
86 births
- 1920s
1920s
102 births
- 1930s
1930s
41 births
- 1940s 23
1940s
23 births
- 1950s 26
1950s
26 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 21
1970s
21 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2020s 10
2020s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 102 births (27% of all-time use).
Festus by state
Where Festus concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 5 | 1.3% |
5 of 371 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Festus? ▼
Where does Festus sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Festus most popular? ▼
Where is Festus most popular? ▼
How long has the name Festus been used? ▼
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What to do with Festus's data
- Festus's decade-level peak was the 1920s (102 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Festuss (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Festus
Nearby Names Like Festus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Festus
Compare Festus side by side: Festus vs Fess Festus vs Fester
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Festus: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~140 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1883–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Festus 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 August 2026.