Modeste
Derived from Latin, meaning modest, moderate, or humble.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Modeste. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Modeste today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Modeste births was 1890 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Modeste. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Modeste. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1890
8 babies that year
Average age
-
1890 SSA rank
#1,069
Tracked since 1890
Popularity
Modeste: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Modeste 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 Modeste during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Modeste
The name Modeste originates from the Latin word "modestus" which means modest, pure, or virtuous. It was derived from the Latin word "modus" meaning measure or limit. The name first appeared in ancient Rome and was used to describe someone with humble and unassuming traits.
In the early days of Christianity, Modeste was a popular name given to both men and women who embraced a life of piety and modesty. It was believed that the name bestowed upon the bearer the virtues of humility, chastity, and self-restraint.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Modeste can be found in the writings of Saint Jerome, a 4th-century Christian scholar and theologian. He refers to a monk named Modestus who lived a life of asceticism in the deserts of Syria.
During the Middle Ages, the name Modeste gained popularity across Europe, particularly in France and Italy. It was commonly given to children born into noble families, as a reminder of the importance of humility and virtue.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Modeste was Modeste Mussorgsky (1839-1881), a Russian composer renowned for his operas and piano works, including the famous "Pictures at an Exhibition."
Another prominent figure was Modeste Grunewald (1853-1924), a French sculptor and painter known for his realistic depictions of rural life and peasant subjects.
In the literary world, Modeste Demers (1809-1892) was a Canadian writer and educator who made significant contributions to the development of French-Canadian literature and education.
Modeste Leroy (1857-1942) was a French botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research in Central and South America, discovering numerous new plant species.
Modeste Petrovitch Mussorgsky (1839-1881), a Russian composer, is considered one of the most influential figures in Russian music and is best known for his operas and piano works, including the iconic "Pictures at an Exhibition."
The name Modeste has been used across various cultures and time periods, symbolizing the virtues of humility, modesty, and self-restraint. While its popularity has waxed and waned over the centuries, it continues to serve as a reminder of the importance of these qualities in one's character and life.
People
Modeste + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Modeste 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
Modeste: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Modeste?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Modeste 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 - US residents.
Is Modeste a common name?
We classify Modeste as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Modeste most popular?
The single biggest year for Modeste was 1890, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Modeste is about 0 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 Modeste in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Modeste a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Modeste in the SSA data are female. 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 Modeste still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Modeste 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 Modeste 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 have Modeste as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Modeste, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.