Boys' name · since 1971
Bracken
Since 1971, U.S. Social Security records show 618 babies named Bracken, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,936 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,076 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 618
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
Yes -- Bracken is the #9076 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 618 recorded since 1971.
Bracken has 618 recorded births among boys since 1971, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #9076 as of the latest data, more common than 35% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #6,936 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #9,076 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 618 born since 1971
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bracken ranks #6,936 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #9,076 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 618 born since 1971, peaking in the 2000s.
- #6,936 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,076 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 618
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
Bracken's 618 recorded births place it above 84.74% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Utah.
How Bracken compares
618 Top 40% higher than 60% of 13,930 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
Bracken's all-time total is 67% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bracken | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 618 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 31 | 34 | 22,252 |
Bracken's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bracken's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 58% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 42%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1972, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 31, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bracken popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Bracken by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (181 births, 29% of the file).
2000s was Bracken's strongest decade.
181 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Bracken births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 46
1970s
46 births
- 1980s 70
1980s
70 births
- 1990s
1990s
156 births
- 2000s
2000s
181 births
- 2010s
2010s
140 births
- 2020s 25
2020s
25 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 181 births (29% of all-time use).
How Bracken 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 Bracken's total volume
Bracken by state
Where Bracken concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah | | 154 | 24.9% |
154 of 618 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Bracken most popular? ▼
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What to do with Bracken's data
- Bracken's decade-level peak was the 2000s (181 total births); usage has since declined to 25 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Utah records the most Brackens (154 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Utah names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bracken
Nearby Names Like Bracken
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bracken
Compare Bracken side by side: Bracken vs Brandon Bracken vs Bradley Bracken vs Brayden
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bracken
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Bracken: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1998)
Similar record span (~54 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, 1971–2025 (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 Bracken 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.