The name Feliz is of Spanish origin and means "happy". It is derived from the Spanish word "feliz", which also means "happy". The name has been popular throughout history, particularly in Spain and Latin America.
Feliz was a popular name among Spanish royals during the Middle Ages. One notable example was Infante Feliz of Portugal, who was born in 1368 and became Duke of Viseu. Another famous bearer of the name was Feliz Marquez, a Spanish conquistador who played a significant role in the colonization of Peru.
The name Feliz has also been associated with art and literature throughout history. For instance, there is a painting by the French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard called "Felix's Portrait" that depicts a happy-looking young boy named Felix. Additionally, there is a novel by Spanish author Benito Pérez Galdós titled "La familia de León y Fernández", which features a character named Feliz.
Despite its historical significance, the name Feliz has not gained widespread popularity beyond Spain and Latin America. However, it remains a unique and meaningful choice for parents looking for a distinctive name with a positive connotation.
The name Feliz has been given to babies born in the United States for over a century, with the first recorded birth occurring in 1901 and the most recent in 2015. Throughout this period, there have been varying levels of popularity for the name.
In the early decades of the 20th century, Feliz was relatively uncommon, with fewer than 10 babies being given the name each year between 1901 and 1936. However, there were some spikes in popularity during this time, such as in 1924 when 11 babies were named Feliz.
The middle decades of the century saw a decline in the number of babies named Feliz, with fewer than 5 births per year from 1941 to 1973. However, starting in the late 1970s, there was an increase in popularity for the name again. Between 1978 and 2001, there were at least 6 Feliz births each year, with peaks of 13 births in 1978 and 11 births in 1992.
More recently, the popularity of Feliz has declined once again. From 2004 to 2015, there were fewer than 10 babies named Feliz each year, with a high of just 8 births in 2015.
Overall, while Feliz has been given to babies for over a century in the United States, its popularity has varied significantly throughout this time. Despite these fluctuations, Feliz remains a unique and special name choice that parents have chosen for their children across generations.