The baby name Truce came almost out of nowhere to debut in the US Top 1000 on the new list.
Thanks to the release of the Social Security Administration’s data for inspiring our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES TRUCE MEAN?
The baby name Truce comes from the word.
Originally Old English, treow meant faith or fidelity. It could refer to a treaty or agreement. By the sixteenth century, a truce was a specific type of pledge, one reached when two sides in a conflict agreed to a temporary peace.
A truce could be a serious agreement, hammered out between warring countries, complete with diplomats and a mediator. Or it might be casual, a word shouted on a playground.
The word truce is a cousin to true, truth, and related words in other European languages.
MODERN VIRTUE NAMES
Speaking of related words, True and Tru both rank in the current Top 1000 for baby boys, as does surname Truett.
Truce fits right in.
It also picks up on our love of modern virtue names, like Haven and Harmony on the girls’ side and Maverick and Chosen for boys. There’s a big range in terms of styles and meanings. Harmony feels a little like something from the 1960s. Chosen tends to be more specifically Christian. There’s a boldness to Maverick and a very sleek, modern style to Haven.
But one more thing all of those meaningful names have in common? They sound like some of the other most popular names of our moment.
SOUNDS LIKE …
The baby name Truce rhymes with Bruce, that old school Scottish hero name worn by everyone from action star actor Bruce Willis to Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne. It’s a little bit aged now, but circa 1950, Bruce was among the most common names for boys in the US.
The boys’ name Truce also sounds a little like the girls’ name Luna, as well as Ruby and Lucy. For boys names, there’s Lucas, Luke, and Luca. Drew is an established favorite, as well as Crew – choose your spelling.
When it comes to word names, parents often choose fresh possibilities that sound like established favorites. Haven follows Ava and Evelyn; Noble picks up on Noah. The list goes on and on.
COULD IT BE A SURNAME NAME?
Another way that virtue choices sometimes filter into the US popularity charts? Surnames as first name.
Truce might sometimes be heard as a last name.
In that case, it’s a probably derived from the Old English name Trews, Troews, Trow or similar variations. Treu is also heard in German. They all come from the same source and sharing the meaning.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME TRUCE?
The baby name Truce surged in popularity from calendar year 2023 to 2024.
Truce debuted in the SSA data in 2009, when five boys received the name.
As of 2023, six boys were named Truce.
And then in 2024? 227 boys, plus ten baby girls recieved the name.
It’s a staggering overall increase, one that puts it on the boys’ list at #991.
Leaps like this sometimes happen on the girls’ list, but they’re very rare. Even fast-rising names typically only double or quadruple in use, maybe multiple years in a row.
For example, Miley – an overnight sensation thanks to Miley Cyrus’ turn as the star Hannah Montana just as the Kylie/Riley trend was peaking – went from 26 births in 2005 to 198 in 2006, and 1,233 a year later.
A more modest jump, and one that seems pretty easy to explain based on popular television shows of the moment.
One more fun fact: Nancy spotted it in the Idaho birth data as far back as 2012.
WHAT INFLUENCED THE RISE OF TRUCE?
For the moment, the rise of Truce remains a mystery.
There’s no single athlete or other popular culture sensation that explain it, no social media stars claiming the name, no movies set for an upcoming release. The rising popularity of certain names always surprises, but rarely do they come this much out of the blue.
What we know at this moment: Americans continue to grow bolder with name choices in general, particularly names for our sons. Classics like Theodore, James, and William; Emma, Charlotte, and Sophia remain top baby names, with the traditional Olivia and Liam still in the top spots on the annual list. But the list of popular baby names continues to grow ever-more diverse and creative.
PEACEMAKER
Maybe it’s just down to parents desire for names that suggest peace and calm in a fractured, worried world.
The baby name Truce seems like a worthy addition to our list of names, one that works well in the middle slot, or as a given name.
What do you think of the baby name Truce?
I really like this name! And after I saw that it had debuted in the boys’ top 1000, I just happened to hear about someone named Truce the next day, and he has a daughter named Chartreuse.
That is WILD!
I don’t like this name at all.