Total births
272,265
Unisex name · since 1880
Adrian
Adrian has 272,265 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #72
- among boys today
- 272,265
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
272,265 babies have been named Adrian since 1880, making it today's #72 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Adrian has been recorded 272,265 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #72 nationally and more common than 99.5% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #72 among boys today
- 272,265 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 99.5% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Adrian is currently the #72 unisex name in America, more common than 99.5% of boys - 272,265 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #72
- among boys today
- 272,265
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
Adrian vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#72
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.5% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Adrian was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
7,938 babies were named Adrian in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Adrian compares
272,265 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Adrian's all-time total is 742x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Adrian | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 272,265 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 7,938 | 23 | 22,252 |
Adrian's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Adrian's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 96% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 4%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 9 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 7,938, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Adrian at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
2008
Current rank
#72
Active since
1880
Adrian popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 7,938
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Adrian popularity over time - girls
15,717 total births recorded since 1911 (Adrian as girls' name)
Adrian by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Adrian's strongest decade.
66,122 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Adrian births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 148
1880s
148 births
- 1890s 196
1890s
196 births
- 1900s 312
1900s
312 births
- 1910s 1,901
1910s
1,901 births
- 1920s 2,741
1920s
2,741 births
- 1930s 2,176
1930s
2,176 births
- 1940s 2,639
1940s
2,639 births
- 1950s 4,057
1950s
4,057 births
- 1960s 7,672
1960s
7,672 births
- 1970s 18,912
1970s
18,912 births
- 1980s
1980s
28,140 births
- 1990s
1990s
41,982 births
- 2000s
2000s
66,122 births
- 2010s
2010s
65,986 births
- 2020s
2020s
29,281 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 66,122 births (24% of all-time use).
How Adrian compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Adrian's total volume
Adrian vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Adrian by state
Where Adrian concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 65,842 | 24.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 45,439 | 16.7% |
| #3 | Florida | | 15,924 | 5.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 13,783 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 12,390 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 9,245 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 6,037 | 2.2% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 6,011 | 2.2% |
California share of Adrian's total US births 24.2%
Even split
65,842 of 272,265 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Adrian appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Adrian? ▼
Adrian has been given to 272,265 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #72 as of the latest data. 7,938 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Adrian most popular? ▼
Adrian was most popular in the 2000s decade with 66,122 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Adrian most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Adrian are California (65,842 births), Texas (45,439 births), Florida (15,924 births).
Is Adrian a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Adrian is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 272,265 births, and as a girl's name it has 15,717 births.
How long has the name Adrian been used? ▼
Records for Adrian go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Adrian? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Adriel, Adrien, Adrain, Adriano, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Adrian's data
- Adrian's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (66,122 total births) through the 2020s (29,281) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Adrians (65,842 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Adrian
Nearby Names Like Adrian
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Adrian
Adriel Boy
#109 33,645 births
Adrien Boy
#1196 9,787 births
Adrain Boy
#7286 4,252 births
Adriano Boy
#2048 2,545 births
Adryan Boy
#3425 1,410 births
Compare Adrian side by side: Adrian vs Adriel Adrian vs Adrien Adrian vs Adrain
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Adrian
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Adrian: #72 Unisex Name - 272,265 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/adrian. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Adrian draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.