Total births
21
Boys' name · since 1982
Balke
21 babies named Balke in U.S. Social Security records since 1982, with the highest year being 1986. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 21
- total births
- 1982–1990
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 76%
- born in that decade
21 boys have been named Balke since 1982, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Balke recorded 21 times among boys since 1982, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1982 to 1990.
- 21 total births
- 1982–1990 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 76% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
21 boys have been named Balke since 1982, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 1990.
- 21
- total births
- 1982–1990
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 76%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
76% of everyone ever named Balke was born in this single decade.
1986
Single peak year
6 babies were named Balke in 1986 - its busiest year on record.
Balke's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Balke splits its recorded history at 1987: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1982 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1986 peak of 6 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Balke at a glance
Last recorded 1990Peak year
1986
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1982
Balke popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–1990
- Peak year (1986)
- 6
- Annual births at peak, across 9 years of records
Balke by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Balke's strongest decade.
16 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 76% of all-time use.
Balke births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
16 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 16 births (76% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Balke? ▼
Since 1982, Social Security records show 21 babies named Balke. The most recent recorded year was 1990. Its busiest year on record was 1986, with 6 births.
When was Balke most popular? ▼
Balke was most popular in the 1980s decade with 16 total births. The single peak year was 1986.
How long has the name Balke been used? ▼
Records for Balke go back to 1982, giving 9 years of history through 1990.
What names are similar to Balke? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Baltazar, Baldemar, Ballard, Baldomero, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Balke's data
- Balke's decade-level peak was the 1980s (16 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Balke
Nearby Names Like Balke
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Balke
Baltazar Boy
#2927 2,743 births
Baldemar Boy
#7838 2,256 births
Ballard Boy
1,159 births
Baldomero Boy
1,079 births
Baldwin Boy
634 births
Compare Balke side by side: Balke vs Baltazar Balke vs Baldemar Balke vs Ballard
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1982–1990 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Balke: Baby Name Since 1982 - 21 Births, Peak 1986." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/balke. 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 Balke 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.