Ponce
A boy's name of Spanish origin with 140 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A city and municipality in the south of Puerto Rico, United States.
Ponce is a boy's baby name of Spanish origin, from the Spanish given name and surname, related to the Latin Pontius meaning 'of the sea' or 'from Pontus.' Juan Ponce de León, the Spanish explorer who led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513 and famously searched for the Fountain of Youth, is the name's most celebrated bearer.
EtymologyShow more
Ponce is built from 5 letters and one syllable — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Spanish naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Ponce creates its characteristic open, approachable quality. One-syllable names stand out for their directness. Every sound carries weight, making pronunciation and first impressions immediate.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Ponce has 24+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1916.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 22 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 37 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 27 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 22 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 11 | — |
| 1910s | 11 | — |
The Story of Ponce
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1949, Ponce is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Ponce are most likely born between 1939 and 1959.
How rare is Ponce?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Ponce is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1916, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1960s with 37 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Ponce by the numbers
- Would fill 3 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(24 years, 1916–1986)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 5 | #7536 |
| 1975 | 5 | #6083 |
| 1973 | 7 | #4398 |
| 1971 | 5 | #5469 |
| 1970 | 5 | #5258 |
| 1968 | 7 | #3598 |
| 1966 | 8 | #3180 |
| 1964 | 5 | #4470 |
| 1963 | 6 | #3927 |
| 1962 | 5 | #4484 |
| 1961 | 6 | #3958 |
| 1959 | 6 | #3895 |
| 1954 | 5 | #4234 |
| 1952 | 6 | #3646 |
| 1951 | 5 | #4120 |
| 1950 | 5 | #4074 |
| 1949 | 8 | #2961 |
| 1947 | 7 | #3299 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3063 |
| 1932 | 5 | #4158 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1916–1986