Midas
A boy's name with 269 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A king who sought and was for a while granted the cherished but subtly dangerous magical power to turn anything he touched into gold.
Midas is a boy's baby name of Greek origin, the name of the legendary Phrygian king whose wish that everything he touched turn to gold was granted — and immediately became a curse, meaning 'the golden touch' or simply the name of power that transforms everything it contacts.
The myth of King Midas is one of the ancient world's most enduring parables about the difference between what we want and what we need. As a given name, Midas has the bold mythological weight of Zeus or Orion, with the added cultural resonance of a story that everyone knows. It declares: whatever this child touches will be transformed.
EtymologyShow more
Midas appeared in SSA records in 2011, placing it in the modern era of American naming — a period when parents increasingly draw from global cultures, invent new names, and blend sounds to create something entirely original. The absence of a clear traditional origin is itself a signal: this may be a name that was created rather than inherited.
With only 269 recorded births, Midas has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Midas has 13+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 2011.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 167 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 102 | — |
The Story of Midas
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2023, Midas is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Midas are most likely born between 2013 and 2024.
How rare is Midas?
Only about 1 in every 128,571 babies born in 2024 was named Midas — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 2011, peaked in the 2020s with 167 births that decade.
Midas by the numbers
- Would fill 6 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(13 years, 2011–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28 | #3941 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2828 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3194 |
| 2021 | 29 | #3787 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3882 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6656 |
| 2018 | 14 | #6224 |
| 2017 | 16 | #5701 |
| 2016 | 16 | #5699 |
| 2015 | 15 | #5903 |
| 2014 | 11 | #7374 |
| 2012 | 12 | #6893 |
| 2011 | 5 | #13665 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Midas a boy's or girl's name?
When was Midas most popular?
How popular is the name Midas?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 2011–2024