The name Diaz is of Spanish origin and is derived from the Basque surname Díaz, which means "son of". It was traditionally given as a patronymic surname to indicate that a person was the son of someone with the given name Diego or James.
The name Diaz has been widely used throughout history and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Spain. The most famous bearer of this name is probably Francisco Díaz (1527-1585), a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Pedro de Valdivia on his conquest of Chile.
Today, Diaz is still a popular surname in Spain and Latin America, as well as being used as a given name. It is often associated with the film director Spike Lee's production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, which is also known as "Diaz".
The name Diaz has seen a varying degree of popularity over the years in the United States, as indicated by the birth statistics provided.
From 1985 to 2020, there were a total of 80 babies named Diaz born in the U.S. The peak years for this name were between 1997 and 2000, with 35 births occurring during these four years alone. In fact, 2000 was the most popular year for the name Diaz, with 12 babies receiving it.
However, the popularity of Diaz has been quite inconsistent throughout this period. Between 1985 and 1994, there were only five births each in 1985 and 1988, six births in 1991 and 1997, seven births in 1998, eight births in 1993 and 1999, and finally five births again in 2020.
It is interesting to note that there was a notable drop-off in the popularity of Diaz after its peak years. From 2006 onwards, there were only six births each year until 2020, which saw five births again. This indicates a decrease in the name's popularity over time, with it currently being less common than it was during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Despite its fluctuating popularity, Diaz remains a unique and distinct name that has been chosen for babies born across multiple decades in the United States.