Total births
221,064
Boys' name · since 1880
Calvin
Calvin has 221,064 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1924 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #140
- among boys today
- 221,064
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 99.0%
- more common than other boys
Calvin currently ranks #140 among boys' names in America, with 221,064 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Calvin recorded 221,064 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #140 nationally today, ahead of 99.0% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #140 among boys today
- 221,064 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 99.0% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Calvin is currently the #140 boys' name in America, more common than 99.0% of boys - 221,064 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #140
- among boys today
- 221,064
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 99.0%
- more common than other boys
Calvin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#140
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.0% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Calvin was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
4,918 babies were named Calvin in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Calvin compares
221,064 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Calvin's all-time total is 602x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Calvin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 221,064 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 4,918 | 23 | 22,252 |
Calvin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Calvin splits its recorded history at 1953: 66% of all births land in the more recent half, 34% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1894 (95 births) -- compare that against the 1924 peak of 4,918 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Calvin at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1924
Current rank
#140
Active since
1880
Calvin popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1924)
- 4,918
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Calvin popularity over time - girls
1,223 total births recorded since 1914 (Calvin as girls' name)
Calvin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Calvin's strongest decade.
30,555 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Calvin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 1,236
1880s
1,236 births
- 1890s 1,102
1890s
1,102 births
- 1900s 1,291
1900s
1,291 births
- 1910s 5,713
1910s
5,713 births
- 1920s
1920s
24,785 births
- 1930s
1930s
14,177 births
- 1940s
1940s
19,242 births
- 1950s
1950s
30,555 births
- 1960s
1960s
21,889 births
- 1970s
1970s
13,809 births
- 1980s
1980s
15,785 births
- 1990s
1990s
16,865 births
- 2000s
2000s
16,111 births
- 2010s
2010s
23,085 births
- 2020s
2020s
15,419 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 30,555 births (14% of all-time use).
How Calvin 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 Calvin's total volume
Calvin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Calvin by state
Where Calvin concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 13,749 | 6.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 13,487 | 6.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 10,342 | 4.7% |
| #4 | New York | | 9,611 | 4.3% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 9,577 | 4.3% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 8,740 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 8,619 | 3.9% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 8,278 | 3.7% |
California share of Calvin's total US births 6.2%
Even split
13,749 of 221,064 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Calvin appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Calvin? ▼
221,064 babies have been named Calvin since 1880. It currently ranks #140 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 4,918 births.
When was Calvin most popular? ▼
Calvin was most popular in the 1950s decade with 30,555 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Calvin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Calvin are California (13,749 births), Texas (13,487 births), Georgia (10,342 births).
How long has the name Calvin been used? ▼
Calvin has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Calvin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Caleb, Callum, Callan, Callen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Calvin's data
- Calvin's usage has stayed within range of its 1950s decade-level peak (30,555 total births) through the 2020s (15,419) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Calvins (13,749 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Calvin
Nearby Names Like Calvin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Calvin
Caleb Boy
#49 324,350 births
Callum Boy
#158 16,051 births
Callan Boy
#242 11,164 births
Callen Boy
#481 9,501 births
Cale Boy
#3231 8,207 births
Compare Calvin side by side: Calvin vs Caleb Calvin vs Callum Calvin vs Callan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Calvin
Dawson #139
52,802 births · Peak 1999
Leon #141
182,638 births · Peak 1924
Matteo #138
33,483 births · Peak 2024
Dean #142
192,930 births · Peak 1961
Juan #137
365,606 births · Peak 2005
Evan #143
287,701 births · Peak 2007
Connor #136
234,546 births · Peak 2004
Nathaniel #144
287,103 births · Peak 2002
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Calvin: #140 Boys' Name - 221,064 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/calvin. 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 Calvin 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.