Boy · #12,142 in 2026

Voltaire

Voltaire is the given name of:Voltaire Volly De Faut (1904–1973), American jazz reed player Voltaire Gazmin, 40th commander of the Philippine Army, lieutenant general, and Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines Voltaire Molesworth (1890–1934), Australian politician Voltaire P. Twombly (1842–1918), American Civil War recipient of the Medal of Honor

  • History
Current Rank
#12,142
Peak Rank
#3,658 (1971)
Total Babies
51
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1963
First Year
2019
Last Year
1971
Peak Year
#3658
Peak Rank
51
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Voltaire

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Voltaire is the given name of:Voltaire Volly De Faut (1904–1973), American jazz reed player Voltaire Gazmin, 40th commander of the Philippine Army, lieutenant general, and Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines Voltaire Molesworth (1890–1934), Australian politician Voltaire P. Twombly (1842–1918), American Civil War recipient of the Medal of Honor

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • History

The Story of Voltaire

Voltaire first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1963, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 8 Voltaires were born — ranking #3,658 that year. As of 2026, Voltaire ranks #12,142 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 51 Voltaires have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Where is Voltaire most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • HT
    56%
  • United States
    22%
  • Sweden
    8%
  • France
    7%
  • CL
    7%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Voltaire

Phonetically similar names — useful when Voltaire is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Volterra
  • Volta
  • Vaulter
  • Valter
  • Volto
  • Valliere
  • Volti
  • Votar
  • Voltage
  • Valere
  • Valtierra
  • Volt

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Voltaire

What does the name Voltaire mean?
Voltaire is the given name of:Voltaire Volly De Faut (1904–1973), American jazz reed player Voltaire Gazmin, 40th commander of the Philippine Army, lieutenant general, and Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines Voltaire Molesworth (1890–1934), Australian politician Voltaire P. Twombly (1842–1918), American Civil War recipient of the Medal of Honor
What is the origin of the name Voltaire?
Voltaire has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: History.
How popular is Voltaire in 2026?
In 2026, Voltaire ranks #12,142 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Voltaire most popular?
Voltaire reached its peak popularity in 1971, ranking #3,658 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Voltaire a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Voltaire is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Voltaire?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Voltaire include Reggy, Rennard, Rommell. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Reggy
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Rennard
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👦
Rommell
Peak #3658
👦
Orlandus
Peak #3658
👦
Blandon
Peak #3658
👦
Covey
Peak #3658
👦
Vareck
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Hombre
Peak #3658

About the name Voltaire

Voltaire is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1963 and has accumulated 51 births in the dataset. Voltaire's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #3,658. Use the chart and map above to compare Voltaire's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.