Is Lafayette a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Lafayette is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Lafayette?

It’s currently ranked #916 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Lafayette?

lah-fay-ET · IPA: /lɑːˈfeɪ.ɛt/

Lafayette Boy

Popularity: #916 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Pronunciationlah-fay-ET / lɑːˈfeɪ.ɛt

French; English

Meaning

French: 'the faith'; English: 'from the town of Lafayette'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lafayette is derived from the French surname 'La Fayette', which means 'the faith'. It is historically associated with the Marquis de Lafayette, a French general who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. The name has been used in various places in the United States, often honoring the Marquis. It reflects a blend of French heritage and American history.

Trend Summary

The name Lafayette has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, often associated with historical references.

Variants

Lafayett
La Fayette

International Variants

Lafayette (French)
Lafayete (Spanish)

Famous people named Lafayette

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was an American author and the founder of the Church of Scientology.

Lafayette Baker was a Union spy during the American Civil War.

Lafayette C. Baker was a notable American politician and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Fictional characters named Lafayette

Lafayette is a character in the musical 'Hamilton', known for his energetic personality and friendship with Alexander Hamilton.

Lafayette is a character in the animated series 'The Princess and the Frog', serving as a comedic sidekick.

Sibling Suggestions

Alexander Benjamin Charles Nathaniel Theodore William

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lafayette was first seen in the United States in 1880. Lafayette has ranked as high as #798 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in North Carolina, California, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia. In the past 5 years the name Lafayette has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Lafayette (1998)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	6	100%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	22
1881	21
1882	20
1883	11
1884	27
1885	23
1886	27
1887	24
1888	19
1889	16
1890	12
1891	8
1892	18
1893	9
1894	19
1895	23
1896	14
1897	18
1898	15
1899	9
1900	17
1901	5
1902	13
1903	13
1904	13
1905	8
1906	10
1907	21
1908	17
1909	11
1910	15
1911	13
1912	35
1913	41
1914	43
1915	51
1916	54
1917	65
1918	79
1919	61
1920	67
1921	86
1922	69
1923	53
1924	63
1925	60
1926	48
1927	43
1928	41
1929	46
1930	43
1931	56
1932	47
1933	60
1934	71
1935	49
1936	64
1937	51
1938	45
1939	41
1940	44
1941	49
1942	45
1943	38
1944	39
1945	54
1946	54
1947	45
1948	57
1949	54
1950	54
1951	56
1952	52
1953	52
1954	50
1955	61
1956	55
1957	38
1958	45
1959	36
1960	43
1961	47
1962	59
1963	54
1964	37
1965	50
1966	39
1967	56
1968	46
1969	35
1970	40
1971	34
1972	54
1973	55
1974	42
1975	26
1976	32
1977	37
1978	46
1979	35
1980	36
1981	42
1982	28
1983	29
1984	29
1985	47
1986	29
1987	36
1988	33
1989	33
1990	33
1991	35
1992	29
1993	29
1994	37
1995	31
1996	25
1997	27
1998	23
1999	20
2000	15
2001	17
2002	9
2003	18
2004	14
2005	14
2006	14
2007	16
2008	11
2009	12
2010	13
2011	15
2012	20
2013	18
2014	14
2015	10
2016	14
2017	8
2018	15
2019	10
2020	11
2021	15
2022	14
2023	10
2024	8