Unisex name · since 1893
Arnett
Arnett has 1,298 recorded births since 1893 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1951 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4,355 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,298
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
Arnett is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 1,298 have been recorded since 1893.
Social Security Administration records show Arnett recorded 1,298 times among boys since 1893, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1893 to 2006.
- #4,355 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,298 born since 1893
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Arnett ranks #4,355 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,298 born since 1893, peaking in the 1950s.
- #4,355 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,298
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
Arnett's 1,298 recorded births place it above 90.42% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
6 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by West Virginia.
Arnett's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Arnett splits its recorded history at 1948: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1896 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1951 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Arnett popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1893–2006
- Peak year (1951)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Arnett popularity over time - girls
75 total births recorded since 1917 (Arnett as girls' name)
Arnett by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (223 births, 17% of the file).
1950s was Arnett's strongest decade.
223 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Arnett births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 22
1890s
22 births
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s
1910s
171 births
- 1920s
1920s
203 births
- 1930s
1930s
171 births
- 1940s
1940s
183 births
- 1950s
1950s
223 births
- 1960s
1960s
120 births
- 1970s
1970s
98 births
- 1980s 52
1980s
52 births
- 1990s 19
1990s
19 births
- 2000s 19
2000s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 223 births (17% of all-time use).
How Arnett 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 Arnett's total volume
Arnett by state
Where Arnett concentrates geographically, total births since 1893
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 55 | 4.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #4 | Kentucky | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.4% |
55 of 1,298 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Arnett's data
- Arnett's decade-level peak was the 1950s (223 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Arnetts (55 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Arnett
Nearby Names Like Arnett
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Arnett
Compare Arnett side by side: Arnett vs Arnold Arnett vs Arnulfo Arnett vs Arnoldo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Arnett: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1951)
Similar record span (~113 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1893–2006 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Arnett 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 August 2026.