Total births
10,868
Boys' name · since 1880
Ambrose
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 10,868 babies named Ambrose, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #739
- among boys today
- 10,868
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Ambrose currently ranks #739 among boys' names in America, with 10,868 babies recorded since 1880.
Ambrose has 10,868 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #739 as of the latest data, more common than 95% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #739 among boys today
- 10,868 born since 1880
- 2020s peak decade
- 95% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ambrose is currently the #739 boys' name in America, more common than 95% of boys - 10,868 born since 1880, peaking in the 2020s.
- #739
- among boys today
- 10,868
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Ambrose vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#739
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 95% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Ambrose was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
402 babies were named Ambrose in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Ambrose compares
10,868 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
Ambrose's all-time total is 30x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ambrose | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 10,868 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 402 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ambrose's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ambrose's full recorded timeline at 1953, 49% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 51% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1967, with just 22 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2021 peak of 402 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ambrose at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#739
Active since
1880
Ambrose popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 402
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ambrose popularity over time - girls
43 total births recorded since 2019 (Ambrose as girls' name)
Ambrose by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Ambrose's strongest decade.
2,075 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Ambrose births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 344
1880s
344 births
- 1890s 369
1890s
369 births
- 1900s 324
1900s
324 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,401 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,556 births
- 1930s 782
1930s
782 births
- 1940s 606
1940s
606 births
- 1950s 494
1950s
494 births
- 1960s 400
1960s
400 births
- 1970s 323
1970s
323 births
- 1980s 360
1980s
360 births
- 1990s 337
1990s
337 births
- 2000s 487
2000s
487 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,010 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,075 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 2,075 births (19% of all-time use).
How Ambrose 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 Ambrose's total volume
Ambrose vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ambrose by state
Where Ambrose concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 541 | 5.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 443 | 4.1% |
| #3 | California | | 440 | 4.0% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 337 | 3.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 330 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Wisconsin | | 304 | 2.8% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 273 | 2.5% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 195 | 1.8% |
Pennsylvania share of Ambrose's total US births 5.0%
Even split
541 of 10,868 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 43 reporting states.
Ambrose appears in 43 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ambrose? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 10,868 babies named Ambrose. Today it holds rank #739 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 402 births.
When was Ambrose most popular? ▼
Ambrose was most popular in the 2020s decade with 2,075 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Ambrose most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ambrose are Pennsylvania (541 births), New York (443 births), California (440 births).
How long has the name Ambrose been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ambrose since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Ambrose? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Amber, Ambrosio, Ambers, Ambrocio, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ambrose's data
- Pennsylvania records the most Ambroses (541 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Ambrose
Nearby Names Like Ambrose
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ambrose
Amber Boy
978 births
Ambrosio Boy
945 births
Ambers Boy
113 births
Ambrocio Boy
53 births
Ambros Boy
41 births
Compare Ambrose side by side: Ambrose vs Amber Ambrose vs Ambrosio Ambrose vs Ambers
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ambrose
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. "Ambrose: #739 Boys' Name - 10,868 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ambrose. 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 Ambrose 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.