Total births
4,861
Boys' name · since 1880
Lafayette
Lafayette has 4,861 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8990
- among boys today
- 4,861
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
4,861 babies have been named Lafayette since 1880, making it today's #8990 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Lafayette recorded 4,861 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #8990 nationally today, ahead of 37% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #8990 among boys today
- 4,861 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 37% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lafayette is currently the #8990 boys' name in America, more common than 37% of boys - 4,861 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8990
- among boys today
- 4,861
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Lafayette vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8990
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 37% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
12% of everyone ever named Lafayette was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
86 babies were named Lafayette in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Lafayette compares
4,861 Top 12% higher than 88% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lafayette's all-time total is 13x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lafayette | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,861 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 86 | 23 | 22,252 |
Lafayette's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lafayette's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 45% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 55%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1901, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 86, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lafayette at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#8,990
Active since
1880
Lafayette popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 86
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Lafayette popularity over time - girls
21 total births recorded since 1919 (Lafayette as girls' name)
Lafayette by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Lafayette's strongest decade.
576 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Lafayette births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 210
1880s
210 births
- 1890s 145
1890s
145 births
- 1900s 128
1900s
128 births
- 1910s
1910s
457 births
- 1920s
1920s
576 births
- 1930s
1930s
527 births
- 1940s
1940s
479 births
- 1950s
1950s
499 births
- 1960s
1960s
466 births
- 1970s
1970s
401 births
- 1980s
1980s
342 births
- 1990s
1990s
289 births
- 2000s 140
2000s
140 births
- 2010s 137
2010s
137 births
- 2020s 65
2020s
65 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 576 births (12% of all-time use).
How Lafayette 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 Lafayette's total volume
Lafayette vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Lafayette by state
Where Lafayette concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 222 | 4.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 189 | 3.9% |
| #3 | California | | 171 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 115 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 102 | 2.1% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 84 | 1.7% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 70 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Mississippi | | 58 | 1.2% |
Texas share of Lafayette's total US births 4.6%
Even split
222 of 4,861 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Lafayette appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lafayette? ▼
4,861 babies have been named Lafayette since 1880. It currently ranks #8990 among boys. The peak year was 1921 with 86 births.
When was Lafayette most popular? ▼
Lafayette was most popular in the 1920s decade with 576 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Lafayette most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lafayette are Texas (222 births), North Carolina (189 births), California (171 births).
How long has the name Lafayette been used? ▼
Lafayette has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Lafayette? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lafe, Lafrance, Lafredrick, Lafon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Lafayette's data
- Lafayette's decade-level peak was the 1920s (576 total births); usage has since declined to 65 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Lafayettes (222 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Lafayette
Nearby Names Like Lafayette
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lafayette
Lafe Boy
696 births
Lafrance Boy
29 births
Lafredrick Boy
26 births
Lafon Boy
9 births
Lafiamma Boy
6 births
Compare Lafayette side by side: Lafayette vs Lafe Lafayette vs Lafrance Lafayette vs Lafredrick
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lafayette
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lafayette: #8990 Boys' Name - 4,861 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lafayette. 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 Lafayette 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.