Total births
636
Boys' name · since 1906
Caldwell
Since 1906, U.S. Social Security records show 636 babies named Caldwell, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6216
- among boys today
- 636
- born since 1906
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Caldwell is the #6216 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 636 recorded since 1906.
Caldwell has 636 recorded births among boys since 1906, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6216 as of the latest data, more common than 57% of boys, 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 1906 to 2025.
- #6216 among boys today
- 636 born since 1906
- 1920s peak decade
- 57% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Caldwell is currently the #6216 boys' name in America, more common than 57% of boys - 636 born since 1906, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6216
- among boys today
- 636
- born since 1906
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other boys
Caldwell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6216
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 57% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Caldwell was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
21 babies were named Caldwell in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Caldwell compares
636 Top 39% higher than 61% 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
Caldwell's all-time total is 73% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Caldwell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 636 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 21 | 23 | 22,252 |
Caldwell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Caldwell's full recorded timeline at 1946, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1910, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1918 peak of 21 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Caldwell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#6,216
Active since
1906
Caldwell popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1906–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 120 years of records
Caldwell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Caldwell's strongest decade.
115 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Caldwell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 13
1900s
13 births
- 1910s
1910s
113 births
- 1920s
1920s
115 births
- 1930s
1930s
73 births
- 1940s
1940s
89 births
- 1950s
1950s
47 births
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 10
1980s
10 births
- 1990s 18
1990s
18 births
- 2000s 23
2000s
23 births
- 2010s
2010s
55 births
- 2020s
2020s
62 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 115 births (18% of all-time use).
How Caldwell 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 Caldwell's total volume
Caldwell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Caldwell by state
Where Caldwell concentrates geographically, total births since 1906
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 26 | 4.1% |
| #2 | South Carolina | | 11 | 1.7% |
North Carolina share of Caldwell's total US births 4.1%
Even split
26 of 636 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Caldwell? ▼
Since 1906, Social Security records show 636 babies named Caldwell. Today it holds rank #6216 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 21 births.
When was Caldwell most popular? ▼
Caldwell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 115 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Caldwell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Caldwell are North Carolina (26 births), South Carolina (11 births).
How long has the name Caldwell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Caldwell since 1906 -- 120 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Caldwell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Caleb, Calvin, Callum, Callan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Caldwell's data
- Caldwell's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (115 total births) through the 2020s (62) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- North Carolina records the most Caldwells (26 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North 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 Caldwell
Nearby Names Like Caldwell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Caldwell
Caleb Boy
#49 324,350 births
Calvin Boy
#140 221,064 births
Callum Boy
#158 16,051 births
Callan Boy
#242 11,164 births
Callen Boy
#481 9,501 births
Compare Caldwell side by side: Caldwell vs Caleb Caldwell vs Calvin Caldwell vs Callum
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Caldwell
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, 1906–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Caldwell: #6216 Boys' Name - 636 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/caldwell. 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 Caldwell 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.