Total births
584
Boys' name · since 1886
Burns
Burns has 584 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 584
- total births
- 1886–2016
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
Burns sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 584 recorded since 1886.
Burns has 584 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2016.
- 584 total births
- 1886–2016 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 29% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
584 boys have been named Burns since 1886, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2016.
- 584
- total births
- 1886–2016
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Burns was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
30 babies were named Burns in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Burns's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Burns's SSA record in two at 1936 and the more recent half accounts for 36% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 64%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1886, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1920 peak of 30, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Burns at a glance
Last recorded 2016Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1886
Burns popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2016
- Peak year (1920)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 131 years of records
Burns by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Burns's strongest decade.
168 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Burns births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 12
1890s
12 births
- 1910s
1910s
123 births
- 1920s
1920s
168 births
- 1930s
1930s
97 births
- 1940s
1940s
69 births
- 1950s
1950s
70 births
- 1960s 29
1960s
29 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 168 births (29% of all-time use).
How Burns 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 Burns's total volume
Burns vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Burns by state
Where Burns concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 11 | 1.9% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.9% |
Kentucky share of Burns's total US births 1.9%
Even split
11 of 584 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Burns? ▼
Since 1886, Social Security records show 584 babies named Burns. The most recent recorded year was 2016. Its busiest year on record was 1920, with 30 births.
When was Burns most popular? ▼
Burns was most popular in the 1920s decade with 168 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Burns most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Burns are Kentucky (11 births), Alabama (5 births), North Carolina (5 births).
How long has the name Burns been used? ▼
Records for Burns go back to 1886, giving 131 years of history through 2016.
What names are similar to Burns? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Burton, Burl, Burt, Burke, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Burns's data
- Burns's decade-level peak was the 1920s (168 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Burnss (11 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky 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 Burns
Nearby Names Like Burns
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Burns
Burton Boy
#5067 22,486 births
Burl Boy
#9898 7,181 births
Burt Boy
6,555 births
Burke Boy
#3222 4,118 births
Burnell Boy
2,790 births
Compare Burns side by side: Burns vs Burton Burns vs Burl Burns vs Burt
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, 1886–2016 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Burns: Baby Name Since 1886 - 584 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/burns. 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 Burns 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.