Total births
3,356
Boys' name · since 1975
Bear
Bear has 3,356 recorded births since 1975 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2022 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #828
- among boys today
- 3,356
- born since 1975
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
3,356 babies have been named Bear since 1975, making it today's #828 boys' name.
Bear has 3,356 recorded births among boys since 1975, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #828 as of the latest data, more common than 94% 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 1975 to 2025.
- #828 among boys today
- 3,356 born since 1975
- 2020s peak decade
- 94% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Bear is currently the #828 boys' name in America, more common than 94% of boys - 3,356 born since 1975, peaking in the 2020s.
- #828
- among boys today
- 3,356
- born since 1975
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
Bear vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#828
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 94% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
52% of everyone ever named Bear was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
332 babies were named Bear in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Bear compares
3,356 Top 16% higher than 84% 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
Bear's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bear | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,356 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 332 | 23 | 22,252 |
Bear's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bear's SSA record in two at 2011 and the more recent half accounts for 93% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 7%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1981, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2022 peak of 332, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bear at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2022
Current rank
#828
Active since
1975
Bear popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 332
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Bear by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Bear's strongest decade.
1,757 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 52% of all-time use.
Bear births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 11
1990s
11 births
- 2000s 172
2000s
172 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,405 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,757 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,757 births (52% of all-time use).
How Bear 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 Bear's total volume
Bear vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Bear by state
Where Bear concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 383 | 11.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 312 | 9.3% |
| #3 | Florida | | 149 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Colorado | | 113 | 3.4% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 102 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Washington | | 90 | 2.7% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 76 | 2.3% |
| #8 | Utah | | 75 | 2.2% |
California share of Bear's total US births 11.4%
Even split
383 of 3,356 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Bear appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bear? ▼
3,356 babies have been named Bear since 1975. It currently ranks #828 among boys. The peak year was 2022 with 332 births.
When was Bear most popular? ▼
Bear was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,757 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Bear most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bear are California (383 births), Texas (312 births), Florida (149 births).
How long has the name Bear been used? ▼
Bear has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 51 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Bear? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Beau, Beaux, Beauford, Beatrice, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Bear's data
- California records the most Bears (383 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 Bear
Nearby Names Like Bear
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bear
Beau Boy
#69 65,592 births
Beaux Boy
#1002 2,541 births
Beauford Boy
1,016 births
Beatrice Boy
733 births
Beauden Boy
#1917 727 births
Compare Bear side by side: Bear vs Beau Bear vs Beaux Bear vs Beauford
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bear
Ricky #827
223,145 births · Peak 1958
Ramon #829
77,429 births · Peak 1991
Edison #826
12,522 births · Peak 2018
Jettson #830
1,336 births · Peak 2024
Gage #825
60,809 births · Peak 2003
Guillermo #831
32,074 births · Peak 1998
Ignacio #824
19,947 births · Peak 2006
Quinton #832
31,623 births · Peak 1996
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, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bear: #828 Boys' Name - 3,356 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bear. 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 Bear 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.