Fate Unisex

Popularity: · Trend: → Stable

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: fate //feɪt//

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: destiny; Latin: fate

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Fate has its roots in the Old English word "fate," which is derived from the Proto-Germanic *fata, meaning "that which is spoken" or "decree." This term is linked to the Latin word "fatum," which translates to "that which has been spoken" or "destiny." The evolution of the name reflects a linguistic journey through various languages, including Old French and Middle English, before solidifying in modern English. The concept of fate has been a significant theme in literature and philosophy, often associated with the idea of predetermined events or destiny, influencing the name's connotation.

Historically, the concept of fate has been prominent in various cultures and mythologies. In ancient Roman and Greek traditions, the Fates were three goddesses who controlled the destiny of both mortals and gods.

Their names—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—symbolized the spinning, measuring, and cutting of the thread of life, respectively. This mythological framework established a cultural resonance around the concept of fate, which has persisted through centuries, influencing works of literature and art.

The name Fate, while less common as a personal name, evokes these deep historical and cultural associations. In literature, fate has been a central theme in many classic works, such as Shakespeare's plays, where characters often grapple with their destinies.

The name's enduring significance is tied to its representation of the human experience of grappling with forces beyond one's control. The notion of fate has also been explored in various philosophical discourses, particularly in discussions about free will versus determinism.

While the name itself may not have a long history as a personal name, its implications and associations with destiny and the human condition have made it a compelling concept throughout history.

Fictional characters named Fate

The following list of fictional characters named Fate is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Fate is a fictional character from the visual novel and anime series Fate/stay night. They are a central figure in the story, representing the concept of destiny and the various heroic spirits summoned to fight in the Holy Grail War.

Fate is a fictional character from the manga and anime series Fate/Zero. They serve as a key player in the events leading up to the Fourth Holy Grail War, influencing the actions of several main characters.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Fate, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Fate. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Fate was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Fate has ranked as high as #2372 nationally, which occurred in 1919, and has been most popular in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Fate has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Fate is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Fate was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Fate.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2023 10 10 0
2022 11 5 6
2021 12 5 7
2018 12 6 6
2017 11 6 5
2016 7 0 7
2015 5 0 5
2014 9 0 9
2012 8 0 8
2011 8 0 8
2010 13 7 6
2009 6 0 6
2008 11 6 5
2007 5 5 0
2006 11 5 6
2005 10 5 5
2004 15 6 9
2003 14 5 9
2002 10 0 10
2001 5 0 5
2000 10 0 10
1999 13 7 6
1997 10 5 5
1996 6 6 0
1990 5 5 0
1987 6 6 0
1981 6 6 0
1980 5 5 0
1979 5 5 0
1975 5 5 0
1973 7 7 0
1970 6 6 0
1969 6 6 0
1968 7 7 0
1963 6 6 0
1962 7 7 0
1961 6 6 0
1960 10 10 0
1959 6 6 0
1958 6 6 0
1956 6 6 0
1955 9 9 0
1954 10 10 0
1953 6 6 0
1952 9 9 0
1951 9 9 0
1950 11 11 0
1949 12 12 0
1948 12 12 0
1947 14 14 0
1946 10 10 0
1944 15 15 0
1943 16 16 0
1942 12 12 0
1941 11 11 0
1940 13 13 0
1939 13 13 0
1938 12 12 0
1937 8 8 0
1936 7 7 0
1935 10 10 0
1934 17 17 0
1933 24 24 0
1932 19 19 0
1931 19 19 0
1930 23 23 0
1929 17 17 0
1928 20 20 0
1927 20 20 0
1926 19 19 0
1925 15 15 0
1924 22 22 0
1923 17 17 0
1922 29 29 0
1921 19 19 0
1920 21 21 0
1919 35 35 0
1918 32 32 0
1917 26 26 0
1916 14 14 0
1915 15 15 0
1914 27 27 0
1913 12 12 0
1912 11 11 0
1911 5 5 0
1910 11 11 0
1909 6 6 0
1907 8 8 0
1906 8 8 0
1905 6 6 0
1904 13 13 0
1903 9 9 0
1902 6 6 0
1901 11 11 0
1900 15 15 0
1899 6 6 0
1898 5 5 0
1897 19 19 0
1896 12 12 0
1895 11 11 0
1894 10 10 0
1893 9 9 0
1892 7 7 0
1891 12 12 0
1890 10 10 0
1889 7 7 0
1888 13 13 0
1887 10 10 0
1886 8 8 0
1885 8 8 0
1884 15 15 0
1883 9 9 0
1882 7 7 0
1881 13 13 0
1880 11 11 0

Top States for Fate (1933)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
NC 5
100%