Total births
987
Boys' name · since 1880
Butler
987 babies named Butler in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1919. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 987
- total births
- 1880–1996
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
Butler is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 987 have been recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Butler recorded 987 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1996.
- 987 total births
- 1880–1996 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 20% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
987 boys have been named Butler since 1880, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1996.
- 987
- total births
- 1880–1996
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Butler was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
31 babies were named Butler in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
Butler's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Butler's SSA record in two at 1927 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1919 peak of 31, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Butler at a glance
Last recorded 1996Peak year
1919
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Butler popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1996
- Peak year (1919)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Butler by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Butler's strongest decade.
199 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Butler births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
84 births
- 1890s
1890s
87 births
- 1900s 54
1900s
54 births
- 1910s
1910s
199 births
- 1920s
1920s
184 births
- 1930s
1930s
121 births
- 1940s
1940s
127 births
- 1950s 65
1950s
65 births
- 1960s 35
1960s
35 births
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s 10
1980s
10 births
- 1990s 11
1990s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 199 births (20% of all-time use).
How Butler 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 Butler's total volume
Butler vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Butler by state
Where Butler concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Carolina | | 34 | 3.4% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 10 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 6 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.5% |
South Carolina share of Butler's total US births 3.4%
Even split
34 of 987 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Butler? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 987 babies named Butler. The most recent recorded year was 1996. Its busiest year on record was 1919, with 31 births.
When was Butler most popular? ▼
Butler was most popular in the 1910s decade with 199 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Butler most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Butler are South Carolina (34 births), Georgia (10 births), Texas (7 births).
How long has the name Butler been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Butler since 1880 -- 117 years through the most recent 1996 data.
What names are similar to Butler? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Butch. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Butler's data
- Butler's decade-level peak was the 1910s (199 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- South Carolina records the most Butlers (34 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. South Carolina 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 Butler
Nearby Names Like Butler
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Butler
Compare Butler side by side: Butler vs Butch
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, 1880–1996 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Butler: Baby Name Since 1880 - 987 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/butler. 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 Butler 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.