Taft
Taft is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Homestead, site of a house, or plot of land.
Origin and history
Taft is an English surname turned given name derived from a place name meaning a site of a house or a plot of land. Its usage as a given name in the United States was historically influenced by the prominence of the American political family, including President William Howard Taft. It remains a rare and distinctive choice for boys today.
Popularity in the United States
1,544 babies in the United States have been named Taft since 1880. It ranks #3201 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1858.
States where it is most popular
- UT (57.1 %)
- NC (10.7 %)
- TX (9.8 %)
- SC (8.9 %)
- AL (4.5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 130 |
| 1910-1920 | 192 |
| 1920-1930 | 74 |
| 1930-1940 | 155 |
| 1940-1950 | 152 |
| 1950-1960 | 131 |
| 1960-1970 | 126 |
| 1970-1980 | 97 |
| 1980-1990 | 89 |
| 1990-2000 | 75 |
| 2000-2010 | 93 |
| 2010-2019 | 161 |
| 2020-2029 | 69 |
Famous people named Taft
- Taft Wright: Baseball Player
Fun facts
- The name originally stems from the Old Norse word 'topt', meaning a building site or cleared plot of land, which passed into Middle English as 'toft'.
- Given-name usage of Taft in the early 20th century was largely inspired by William Howard Taft, the 27th U.S. President.