Cruz
Boy name · Portuguese · Spanish
Meaningcross · Spanish
- US rank
- #331
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #279 in 2013
1,025 babies were named Cruz in the US in 2025. It has dropped 28 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1890–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Cruz you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,666 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Cruz, 1,025 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Cruz would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCruz has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Cruzs, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2013, when it reached #279.
- Then vs nowCruz is 4.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 6,964 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,666.
- TrendCruz has slipped 28 places over the last five years and now sits at #331. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedCruz is most popular in Hawaii, where it ranks #69, followed by California (#142) and New Mexico (#148). It's in the top 1,000 in 36 states.
- MeaningIn Spanish, Cruz means “cross”. Our records link it to Portuguese and Spanish roots.
- OriginCruz is the #5 most popular Portuguese boy name in the US. That's out of 44 Portuguese boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Cruz
Cruz is a boy name of Portuguese and Spanish origin meaning “cross”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with C and ending in “-ruz”. US birth records list Cruz for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 123 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2013, when it ranked #279 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #331, with 1,025 babies.
Origin:Portuguese namesSpanish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 14 | 70,126 girls |
| 1900s | 28 | 36,023 girls |
| 1910s | 37 | 26,824 girls |
| 1920s | 53 | 18,804 girls |
| 1930s | 49 | 20,305 girls |
| 1940s | 33 | 30,656 girls |
| 1950s | 24 | 42,481 girls |
| 1960s | 17 | 58,754 girls |
| 1970s | 17 | 57,770 girls |
| 1980s | 15 | 66,578 girls |
| 1990s | 15 | 68,446 girls |
| 2000s | 13 | 77,519 girls |
| 2010s | 15 | 66,269 girls |
| 2020s | 14 | 71,770 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5.4 | 184,162 boys |
| 1900s | 31 | 32,103 boys |
| 1910s | 46 | 21,872 boys |
| 1920s | 67 | 15,031 boys |
| 1930s | 62 | 16,139 boys |
| 1940s | 49 | 20,268 boys |
| 1950s | 41 | 24,178 boys |
| 1960s | 40 | 25,310 boys |
| 1970s | 48 | 20,846 boys |
| 1980s | 70 | 14,335 boys |
| 1990s | 110 | 9,132 boys |
| 2000s | 255 | 3,928 boys |
| 2010s | 584 | 1,712 boys |
| 2020s | 621 | 1,610 boys |
More Portuguese boy names
- Boy name: Luis · famous warrior
- Unisex name: Matias · gift of God
- Boy name: Miguel · who is like God
- Boy name: Francisco · Frenchman, free
- Boy name: Manuel · God is with us
- Boy name: Ricardo · brave ruler
- Boy name: Raul · wolf counsel
- Boy name: Mauricio · dark-skinned, Moorish
Questions about the name Cruz
What does the name Cruz mean?
Cruz means “cross” in Spanish.
What is the origin of the name Cruz?
Cruz has Portuguese, Spanish roots in our records. Other Portuguese names include Luis, Matias, Miguel.
Is Cruz a boy or girl name?
Cruz is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Cruz?
Cruz ranked #331 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,025 babies. Its best year was 2013 (#279).