Boyde
German name derived from "boethi" meaning "dweller by a small dwelling".
Name Census estimates that about 17 living Americans carry the first name Boyde. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Boyde today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Boyde births was 1931 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Boyde. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Boyde is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Boydes were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Boyde. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
17
~ 1 in 20,162,020 Americans
Peak year
1931
10 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1964 SSA rank
#3,646
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Boyde: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Boyde from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Boyde by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Boyde during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Boyde
The name Boyde finds its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "boga," which means "bow" or "archer." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with those skilled in archery or employed as bowmen.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boyde can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Boida," indicating its longstanding presence in the English lexicon.
Throughout history, the name Boyde has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir Boyde Fetherstonhaugh (1609-1689), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northumberland during the reign of Charles II. His family held significant influence in the region, and he played a role in local politics and governance.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Boyde Blackwell (1772-1838), a Scottish-born merchant and philanthropist who made his fortune in the West Indies. He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions, including the Blackwell School in Liverpool, which provided education to underprivileged children.
In the realm of literature, Boyde Upchurch (1905-1987) was an American author and poet known for his works exploring themes of rural life and Southern culture. His poetry collections, such as "The Mocking Bird's Nest" and "Backwoods Poems," earned him recognition and acclaim within the literary community.
The name Boyde also found its way into the realm of sports. Boyde Cecil (1919-2003) was a South African cricketer who played Test cricket for the national team in the 1940s and 1950s. He was a skilled all-rounder and captained the South African team in several matches.
Another notable figure was Boyde Long (1909-1992), an American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Long Foundation, a charitable organization that supported various educational and cultural initiatives, leaving a lasting impact on his community.
While the name Boyde may not be as common today as it once was, its historical roots and the individuals who have borne it have contributed to its enduring legacy. From landowners and politicians to authors, athletes, and philanthropists, the name Boyde has been woven into the tapestry of history across various cultures and eras.
People
Boyde + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Boyde as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Boyde: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Boyde?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 17 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Boyde going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 20,162,020 US residents.
Is Boyde a common name?
We classify Boyde as "Very Rare". It ranks above 37.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 81 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Boyde most popular?
The single biggest year for Boyde was 1931, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Boyde is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Boyde in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Boyde a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Boyde in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Boyde still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Boyde in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Boyde can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Boyde?
See how many people share the name Boyde on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.