Adams is a name of English origin that has been used for centuries. It is derived from the Old English given name Æadmæls, which was composed of two elements: "adal," meaning "noble" or "nobleman," and "-mael," meaning "chiefs." Thus, the name Adams translates to "Son of Noble Chief."
The name Adams has a rich history dating back to medieval England. It was often used as a surname, but it could also be found as a given name in some instances. In fact, one of the earliest known records of the name Adams is from the Domesday Book, a great survey of England conducted by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Over time, Adams became more commonly used as a surname than a given name. However, there were notable individuals named Adams throughout history. For example, John Adams was the second president of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801, and his son, John Quincy Adams, served as the sixth president from 1825 to 1829.
Today, Adams remains a popular surname worldwide but is less commonly used as a given name. Despite its waning popularity, Adams continues to be a strong and dignified name that carries a rich history and meaningful origin.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Adams has had a varied trend in popularity over the years in the United States.
From 1898 to 1973, the number of births with the name Adams fluctuated between a low of 5 births per year to a high of 16 births. However, starting from 1974, there was a significant increase in popularity, with the number of births reaching 19 in 1976 and peaking at 30 births in 1978.
The trend continued with the name Adams being given to more babies each year until it reached a high of 42 births in 1983. However, after this peak, there was a decline in popularity, with the number of births dropping to as low as 5 in some years, such as in 2008.
Despite the fluctuations, Adams remained relatively popular in recent years, with at least 10 births per year since 2013. In fact, there has been an increase in popularity in recent years, with 38 births recorded in 2023, which is the highest number of births for this name since 1976.
Overall, while Adams may not have consistently ranked among the most popular names each year, it has maintained a steady presence in the United States, with hundreds of babies being named Adams over the past century.