Names tracked
104,819+
U.S. Social Security Administration · 1880–2024 · 50 states + DC
Explore 104,819+
US baby names.
Year-by-year popularity charts · state rankings · decade trends · unisex detection · 144+ years of SSA data, refreshed each release.
- Names
- 104,819+
- Years tracked
- 145
- States + DC
- 51
- Latest year
- 2024
Naming diversity over time
Distinct names per decade (×1,000)
Distinct US baby names per decade (×1000)
What 145 years of data reveal
Four things you won't find on a baby-name list
3,476
Evergreen names
Recorded in every era from 1900 to 2024 — names like Mary, Anna, and Emma that never left.
19,864
Modern arrivals
Distinct names first recorded since 2010 — new coinages, blends, and creative spellings.
60,400
Peak-decade variety (2000s)
Distinct names in the widest decade on record — the high-water mark for naming diversity.
31,904
Names still in use (2024)
Names given to five or more babies in the latest SSA year — the live, active naming pool.
The 2024 U.S. naming landscape
Compared to 145 years of Social Security Administration baby-name records
Top boys' name (2024)
Liam 1% #1 this year
Top girls' name (2024)
Olivia 1% #1 this year
Latest data year
2024
Top Names in 2024
The most popular first initials of 2024
Total US births by the first letter of the baby's name
- A
A
447,377 births
- M
M
276,481 births
- E
E
270,511 births
- J
J
252,656 births
- L
L
248,798 births
- C
C
211,913 births
- S
S
197,481 births
- K 170,195
K
170,195 births
- R 153,088
R
153,088 births
- B 126,842
B
126,842 births
What this shows “A” starts more US babies' names than any other letter — 447,377 in 2024 alone, powered by a wave of A-names like Aria, Aiden, and Amelia.
Trending Names
Biggest growth from 2019 to 2024
Boy Rising Boys' Names
Can't Decide? Try the Randomizer
Pick a category and discover 3 random names from 104,819+ in our database.
Hit Shuffle! to discover names.
Baby Name Guides
Understand naming trends and make data-informed choices.
How SSA Name Data Works
Where the data comes from and what it covers.
What Drives Popularity
Why names rise, fall, and cycle through generations.
Choosing a Unique Name
Find the sweet spot between common and bizarre.
Trends by Decade
How naming trends shifted from the 1920s to today.
Why Names Rise & Fall
Patterns behind name popularity changes over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does NameAlmanac get its baby name data?
All name data comes from official Social Security Administration (SSA) records, which track every name given to at least 5 babies in a given year. The dataset spans from 1880 to the most recent year available.
How many baby names are in the NameAlmanac database?
NameAlmanac includes over 104,819 unique baby names from the SSA database, covering 145 years of naming trends across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Is NameAlmanac free to use?
Yes, NameAlmanac is completely free. You can search names, view popularity trends, browse state-level data, and explore decade rankings without any signup or payment.
Can I see how popular a name is in my state?
Yes. Every name page includes state-by-state popularity data, and you can also browse state-decade pages to see the top names for any state in any decade from the 1910s onward.