Minus
A rare diminutive name derived from the Latin word for "less".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Minus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Minus today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Minus births was 1947 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Minus. 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 Minus is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Minus' were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Minus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1947
8 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1950 SSA rank
#4,030
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Minus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Minus from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 23 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
Minus 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 Minus 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 Minus
The given name Minus finds its origins in Ancient Rome, derived from the Latin word "minuere," which means "to diminish" or "to lessen." It was initially used as a cognomen or a personal nickname, often given to individuals who were born underweight or appeared physically smaller than average.
During the Roman Republic and Empire, the name Minus was not uncommon, although it was not among the most popular names of the era. It was typically associated with members of the lower classes or those engaged in manual labor, as the name carried a connotation of humility and modest stature.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Minus was Minus Curius Dentatus, a Roman consul who lived in the 3rd century BC. He was renowned for his military victories against the Samnites and was celebrated for his simple lifestyle, rejecting the luxuries and extravagances of the Roman elite.
In the 1st century AD, the historian Tacitus mentioned a Roman senator named Minus Accius Glabrio, who was accused of treason and executed during the reign of Emperor Domitian. This reference suggests that the name had gained some prominence among the Roman nobility by that time.
During the Middle Ages, the name Minus fell out of widespread use in most European regions. However, it resurfaced sporadically in certain areas, particularly in Italy and parts of the Iberian Peninsula, where it was influenced by the region's Roman heritage.
One notable bearer of the name was Minus da Colle Val d'Elsa, an Italian sculptor and architect who lived in the 13th century. He is credited with designing several churches and public buildings in his native Tuscany region.
In the 16th century, a Spanish military officer named Minus de Leiva gained recognition for his service in the Italian Wars, fighting alongside the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. He was celebrated for his bravery and strategic acumen in battles against the French and Italian forces.
As time progressed, the name Minus became increasingly rare, but it continued to appear occasionally throughout various parts of Europe. In the 19th century, a German scholar named Minus Müller published several works on linguistics and comparative philology, contributing to the field of language studies.
While the name Minus is not widely used in modern times, it remains a part of historical records, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of ancient civilizations and the enduring influence of Latin language and Roman traditions on European naming practices.
People
Minus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Minus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Minus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Minus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Minus 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Minus a common name?
We classify Minus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 48 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Minus most popular?
The single biggest year for Minus was 1947, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Minus is about 78 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 Minus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Minus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Minus 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 Minus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Minus 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 Minus 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 people are named Minus?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.