Total births
998
Girls' name · since 1940
Bev
Since 1940, U.S. Social Security records show 998 babies named Bev, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 998
- total births
- 1940–1971
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 48%
- born in that decade
Bev sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 998 recorded since 1940.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bev has been recorded 998 times among girls since 1940, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1940 to 1971.
- 998 total births
- 1940–1971 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 48% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
998 girls have been named Bev since 1940, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 1971.
- 998
- total births
- 1940–1971
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 48%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
48% of everyone ever named Bev was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
127 babies were named Bev in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
Bev's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bev's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 81% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 19%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1940, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 127, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bev at a glance
Last recorded 1971Peak year
1959
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1940
Bev popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1940–1971
- Peak year (1959)
- 127
- Annual births at peak, across 32 years of records
Bev popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1917 (Bev as boys' name)
Bev by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Bev's strongest decade.
480 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Bev births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 123
1940s
123 births
- 1950s
1950s
379 births
- 1960s
1960s
480 births
- 1970s 16
1970s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 480 births (48% of all-time use).
How Bev compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Bev's total volume
Bev vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Bev by state
Where Bev concentrates geographically, total births since 1940
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 109 | 10.9% |
| #2 | California | | 64 | 6.4% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 63 | 6.3% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 43 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 34 | 3.4% |
| #6 | Washington | | 27 | 2.7% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 24 | 2.4% |
| #8 | Indiana | | 21 | 2.1% |
Ohio share of Bev's total US births 10.9%
Even split
109 of 998 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Bev appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bev? ▼
Bev has been given to 998 babies in the U.S. since 1940, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1971. 127 babies were born in 1959, its single highest year.
When was Bev most popular? ▼
Bev was most popular in the 1960s decade with 480 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Bev most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bev are Ohio (109 births), California (64 births), Michigan (63 births).
How long has the name Bev been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Bev since 1940 -- 32 years through the most recent 1971 data.
What names are similar to Bev? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Beverly, Beverley, Beverlee, Bevin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Bev's data
- Bev's decade-level peak was the 1960s (480 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Bevs (109 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio 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 Bev
Nearby Names Like Bev
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bev
Beverly Girl
#1045 378,561 births
Beverley Girl
#12225 13,062 births
Beverlee Girl
#13585 2,297 births
Bevin Girl
1,037 births
Beverlyn Girl
#15515 554 births
Compare Bev side by side: Bev vs Beverly Bev vs Beverley Bev vs Beverlee
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, 1940–1971 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bev: Baby Name Since 1940 - 998 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bev. 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 Bev 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.