Mott
Small mound or ditch bank in the north of England.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Mott. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mott today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mott births was 1926 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mott. 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 Mott. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1926
8 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1967 SSA rank
#4,361
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Mott: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mott from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Mott remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mott 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 Mott 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 Mott
The given name Mott is believed to have originated from the Old English word "mot," which referred to a small hill or mound. This linguistic root can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in England, particularly in the regions where Old English was spoken.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mott can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Mot" and "Motte," referring to individuals residing near or on small hills or mounds.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Mott. In the 12th century, Mott de Cheveley was a prominent landowner in Cambridgeshire, England. His name is mentioned in various charters and land records from that period.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel Mott was a distinguished military leader who fought for the Parliamentarian forces. He played a significant role in several battles against the Royalists.
In the realm of literature, Mott Madden was an American author and poet who lived from 1876 to 1957. He gained recognition for his works that explored themes of nature and the human experience.
Another notable figure was Mott T. Greene, an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Rhode Island from 1863 to 1869. He played a crucial role in shaping legislation during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.
In the field of science, Mott Souders was an American physicist and inventor who lived from 1892 to 1975. He made significant contributions to the development of radar technology and held numerous patents for his innovative work.
While the name Mott has its roots in Old English and has been present throughout various historical periods, it is important to note that these examples are based on limited available records and may not represent a comprehensive account of all individuals who have borne this name over the centuries.
People
Mott + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mott 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
Mott: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mott?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mott 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Mott a common name?
We classify Mott as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 29 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mott most popular?
The single biggest year for Mott was 1926, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mott is about 62 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 Mott in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mott a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mott 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 Mott still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mott 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 Mott 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 Mott?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.