Fun Facts About the Name Fawkes
- 81 babies named Fawkes: U.S. records list 81 babies given the name Fawkes from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Fawkes Mean?
Fawkes is an English surname, usually explained as a patronymic meaning "son of Fawke." The personal name Fawke came into England with the Normans; it is a Middle English form of Old French Fauques or Faukes, from the Latinized Germanic name Fulco. The Germanic element behind it is generally identified as *fulka-, meaning "people," "folk," or "troop," so the personal name can be glossed as "people" or "folk." The final -s in Fawkes may be the English patronymic genitive, or it may simply preserve the Old French nominative ending seen in Fauques; both explanations appear in surname studies.
Fawkes Name History & Origins
The name Fawkes belongs to the stock of personal names brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Latin records from Normandy and England use Fulco for the name; Old French developed forms such as Foulque, Foulques, Fouques, and Fauques. In Middle English, the name appears as Fawke, Faulke, and Fawkes. From this personal name came the hereditary surname Fawkes, which is found in several spellings, including Fawke, Faulkes, Foulkes, and Foulks. The surname is therefore Norman French in immediate origin, though its root element is Germanic, not French.
The best-known historical bearer is Guy Fawkes (1570 - 1605), an English Catholic conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. His name became attached to the annual commemoration on 5 November, when effigies of him are burned in Britain. That association is much later than the medieval origin of the name and does not explain its etymology. The name is primarily a surname; as a first name it is a transferred use of the surname rather than a traditional given name with its own separate development.
How Popular is the Name Fawkes?
Fawkes has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2018. Its best rank was #5,861 in 2018.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #11,262 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #6,586 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #7,776 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #12,655 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,202 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #5,861 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #10,033 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #9,107 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #11,119 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #13,082 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with F
How the Name Fawkes Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are kind, home-loving, hospitable and friendly. Since you take responsibility well, you are a good organizer of social affairs. Compassion for others is an outstanding trait. You are a great lover and a great flirt – an artist, musician, actor, teacher, nurse. Your character can be contradictory. You are practical, yet idealistic and intuitive; capable of selfless devotion to someone you love, yet look to receive payback. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
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.
✦ Fawkes's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Fawkes's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.