Lafayette Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lah-fay-ET /lɑːˈfeɪ.ɛt/
Origin: French; English
Meaning: French: 'the faith'; English: 'from the town of Lafayette'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lafayette has its roots in the Old French term "la Fayette," which translates to "the trust" or "the faith." The etymology can be traced back to the Latin word "fidelis," meaning faithful or loyal, which evolved through the Old French language. This name entered the English lexicon primarily through the influence of French culture and historical figures, particularly during the 18th century when the French played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, thereby introducing the name to English speakers.
A notable historical figure associated with the name is Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), a French aristocrat and military officer who became a key figure in both the American and French Revolutions. His contributions to the American cause, including his service under General George Washington, helped solidify the name's association with ideals of liberty and democracy.
Lafayette's legacy was further immortalized in various literary and historical works, including the writings of American authors and historians in the 19th century. Culturally, the name Lafayette has been embraced in various contexts, symbolizing loyalty and bravery, often linked to the ideals of the Enlightenment and the fight for freedom.
The name has also been adopted in place names, institutions, and monuments, particularly in the United States, reflecting the enduring impact of Marquis de Lafayette's contributions. The diminutive form "Fay" has also emerged in some contexts, though it is less commonly used.
Overall, Lafayette embodies a rich historical and cultural significance that resonates through its associations with key historical events and figures.
Famous people named Lafayette
In this section, you will find notable people named Lafayette. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lafayette who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lafayette who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Lafayette is a military officer best known for his role in the American Revolutionary War and his friendship with George Washington.
Fictional characters named Lafayette
The following list of fictional characters named Lafayette 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.
Lafayette is a fictional character from the musical Hamilton. He is a French general who plays a significant role in supporting the American Revolution.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lafayette, 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 Lafayette. 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 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)
The name Lafayette 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 Lafayette was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Lafayette (1998)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 6 |
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 Lafayette.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2006 | 14 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2003 | 18 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2000 | 15 |
| 1999 | 20 |
| 1998 | 23 |
| 1997 | 27 |
| 1996 | 25 |
| 1995 | 31 |
| 1994 | 37 |
| 1993 | 29 |
| 1992 | 29 |
| 1991 | 35 |
| 1990 | 33 |
| 1989 | 33 |
| 1988 | 33 |
| 1987 | 36 |
| 1986 | 29 |
| 1985 | 47 |
| 1984 | 29 |
| 1983 | 29 |
| 1982 | 28 |
| 1981 | 42 |
| 1980 | 36 |
| 1979 | 35 |
| 1978 | 46 |
| 1977 | 37 |
| 1976 | 32 |
| 1975 | 26 |
| 1974 | 42 |
| 1973 | 55 |
| 1972 | 54 |
| 1971 | 34 |
| 1970 | 40 |
| 1969 | 35 |
| 1968 | 46 |
| 1967 | 56 |
| 1966 | 39 |
| 1965 | 50 |
| 1964 | 37 |
| 1963 | 54 |
| 1962 | 59 |
| 1961 | 47 |
| 1960 | 43 |
| 1959 | 36 |
| 1958 | 45 |
| 1957 | 38 |
| 1956 | 55 |
| 1955 | 61 |
| 1954 | 50 |
| 1953 | 52 |
| 1952 | 52 |
| 1951 | 56 |
| 1950 | 54 |
| 1949 | 54 |
| 1948 | 57 |
| 1947 | 45 |
| 1946 | 54 |
| 1945 | 54 |
| 1944 | 39 |
| 1943 | 38 |
| 1942 | 45 |
| 1941 | 49 |
| 1940 | 44 |
| 1939 | 41 |
| 1938 | 45 |
| 1937 | 51 |
| 1936 | 64 |
| 1935 | 49 |
| 1934 | 71 |
| 1933 | 60 |
| 1932 | 47 |
| 1931 | 56 |
| 1930 | 43 |
| 1929 | 46 |
| 1928 | 41 |
| 1927 | 43 |
| 1926 | 48 |
| 1925 | 60 |
| 1924 | 63 |
| 1923 | 53 |
| 1922 | 69 |
| 1921 | 86 |
| 1920 | 67 |
| 1919 | 61 |
| 1918 | 79 |
| 1917 | 65 |
| 1916 | 54 |
| 1915 | 51 |
| 1914 | 43 |
| 1913 | 41 |
| 1912 | 35 |
| 1911 | 13 |
| 1910 | 15 |
| 1909 | 11 |
| 1908 | 17 |
| 1907 | 21 |
| 1906 | 10 |
| 1905 | 8 |
| 1904 | 13 |
| 1903 | 13 |
| 1902 | 13 |
| 1901 | 5 |
| 1900 | 17 |
| 1899 | 9 |
| 1898 | 15 |
| 1897 | 18 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 23 |
| 1894 | 19 |
| 1893 | 9 |
| 1892 | 18 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1890 | 12 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1888 | 19 |
| 1887 | 24 |
| 1886 | 27 |
| 1885 | 23 |
| 1884 | 27 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1882 | 20 |
| 1881 | 21 |
| 1880 | 22 |