Spence
Spence is a masculine given name or nickname, often a short form of Spencer.
Meaning & Origin of Spence
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Spence is a masculine given name or nickname, often a short form of Spencer.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Spence
Spence first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1902, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1970, when 47 Spences were born — ranking #1,207 that year. As of 2026, Spence ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Spences have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Spence
Phonetically similar names — useful when Spence is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Spens
- Spends
- Spins
- Sense
- Cents
- Sence
- Spencer
- Spoons
- Spines
- Spans
- Cense
- Spawns
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Spence
What does the name Spence mean?
How popular is Spence in 2026?
When was Spence most popular?
In which U.S. states is Spence most popular?
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About the name Spence
Spence is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1902 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Spence's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #1,207. Use the chart and map above to compare Spence's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1970 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.