Racer
A gender-neutral name derived from the occupation of competitive racer.
Name Census estimates that about 102 living Americans carry the first name Racer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Racer today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Racer births was 2007 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Racer. 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.
People living today
102
~ 1 in 3,360,337 Americans
Peak year
2007
14 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2019 SSA rank
#10,546
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Racer: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Racer from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 64 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Racer 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 Racer 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 Racer
The name Racer is an English word of modern origin, believed to have emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century. It is derived from the verb "to race," which means to move swiftly or compete in a contest of speed. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who excelled in racing or exhibited exceptional speed, either in sports or other activities.
While the name Racer itself does not have a deep historical lineage or roots in ancient cultures, it reflects the modern fascination with speed, competition, and athletic prowess. The rise of motorsports, particularly automobile racing, during the early 20th century may have contributed to the popularization of this name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Racer can be found in the 1910 United States Census, where a handful of individuals were listed with this first name. However, it remained relatively uncommon until the latter half of the 20th century.
A notable early bearer of the name Racer was Racer Lewis (1875-1948), an American basketball player and coach. He was a member of the inaugural team of the Buffalo Germans, a professional basketball club in the early 1900s.
Another individual with the name Racer was Racer X (born Harold Radnor, 1903-1982), a famous stunt driver and racing consultant in Hollywood films. He performed daring stunts in movies and helped choreograph thrilling racing sequences, contributing to the glamour and excitement of car chase scenes.
In the world of literature, Racer Fitch was a fictional character created by author John D. MacDonald in his novel "The Green Ripper" (1979). Racer Fitch was a former race car driver turned private investigator, reflecting the association of the name with speed and adventure.
More recently, Racer Rodriguez (born 1980) is a Mexican professional racing driver who has competed in various motorsports events, including the IndyCar Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Another notable individual with the name Racer is Racer Stevenson (born 1975), an Australian former professional rugby league player who played for several clubs in the National Rugby League competition.
While the name Racer may not have a long historical lineage, it captures the spirit of speed, competition, and the thrill of racing, reflecting the modern fascination with these themes in sports and popular culture.
People
Racer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Racer as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Racer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Racer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 102 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Racer 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 3,360,337 US residents.
Is Racer a common name?
We classify Racer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 103 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Racer most popular?
The single biggest year for Racer was 2007, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Racer is about 15 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 Racer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Racer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Racer 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 Racer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Racer 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 Racer 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 called Racer?
You can see how many people have the name Racer on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.