Fun Facts About the Name Commodore
- 368 babies named Commodore: U.S. records list 368 babies given the name Commodore from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Commodore Mean?
Commodore is an English word name taken from the naval title for an officer who commands a squadron of ships. The title came into English by way of French commandeur and Dutch kommandeur, both from Latin commendare, "to entrust, commit," formed from com- plus mandare, "to hand over" (itself from manus, "hand," and dare, "to give"). The literal sense is a person entrusted with command; the customary meaning is simply the rank itself.
The exact route of the word is not fully settled. It is usually treated as a variant of commander with a suffix of unclear origin, possibly shaped by the Dutch form. It is not related to commodity or commode, which go back to Latin commodum, "convenience."
Commodore Name History & Origins
"Commodore" appears in English in the late 1600s as the title of a captain temporarily appointed to command a squadron of warships, ranking above an ordinary captain and below a rear admiral. In the Royal Navy this remained mostly a temporary appointment for a senior captain, and the title is still used that way. The United States Navy used commodore as a substantive rank in the nineteenth century, establishing it in 1862 and abolishing it in 1899, and revived the title in the twentieth century for senior captains. Yacht clubs later adopted the word for their elected head.
As a given name, Commodore is rare and appears mainly in the United States, where it is a transferred use of the title, at times given with the naval rank in mind. Bearers from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries include the Arizona lawman Commodore Perry Owens and the Olympic gold-medal sprinter Commodore Cochran. The naval officer Matthew Calbraith Perry is commonly called "Commodore Perry," but that is a title he earned, not part of his birth name; his middle name was Calbraith. The steamship and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt was likewise nicknamed "the Commodore" because of his shipping business, not because he held the rank.
How Popular is the Name Commodore?
Commodore recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1923. Its best rank was #717 in 1891.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | #4,151 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #3,717 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #3,194 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #3,785 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,377 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,822 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #3,406 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,672 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #3,281 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,206 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1936 | #3,216 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #3,011 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #3,450 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1931 | #2,510 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1930 | #2,326 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1929 | #3,297 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #3,421 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #2,737 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1926 | #2,757 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1925 | #2,972 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #2,848 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #1,768 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1922 | #2,518 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1921 | #2,406 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1920 | #2,488 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #3,468 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1918 | #1,922 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1917 | #2,314 | 12 | 0.0013% |
| 1916 | #2,411 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1915 | #2,337 | 11 | 0.0013% |
| 1914 | #2,485 | 8 | 0.0012% |
| 1913 | #2,314 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1911 | #1,791 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1908 | #1,425 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1902 | #1,178 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1898 | #755 | 9 | 0.0073% |
| 1897 | #1,096 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1892 | #1,100 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1891 | #717 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1890 | #1,034 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1889 | #814 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1886 | #862 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1884 | #787 | 7 | 0.0061% |
| 1883 | #925 | 5 | 0.0048% |
| 1882 | #768 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1880 | #834 | 6 | 0.0054% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Commodore Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Commodore's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Commodore's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.