Boys' name · since 1988
Canton
Canton has 538 recorded births since 1988 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2015 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7,543 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,299 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 538
- born since 1988
- 2010s
- peak decade
Canton currently ranks #5299 among boys' names in America, with 538 babies recorded since 1988.
Social Security Administration records show Canton recorded 538 times among boys since 1988, holding rank #5299 nationally today, ahead of 62% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1988 to 2025.
- #7,543 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #5,299 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 538 born since 1988
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Canton ranks #7,543 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #5,299 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 538 born since 1988, peaking in the 2010s.
- #7,543 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,299 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 538
- born since 1988
- 2010s
- peak decade
Canton's 538 recorded births place it above 83.39% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
How Canton compares
538 Top 43% higher than 57% 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
Canton's all-time total is 46% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Canton | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 538 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 33 | 34 | 22,252 |
Canton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Canton's SSA record in two at 2009 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1988, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2015 peak of 33, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Canton popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1988–2025
- Peak year (2015)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 38 years of records
Canton by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (245 births, 46% of the file).
2010s was Canton's strongest decade.
245 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Canton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 49
1990s
49 births
- 2000s
2000s
150 births
- 2010s
2010s
245 births
- 2020s 89
2020s
89 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 245 births (46% of all-time use).
How Canton 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 Canton's total volume
Canton by state
Where Canton concentrates geographically, total births since 1988
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Canton's data
- Canton's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (245 total births) through the 2020s (89) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Cantons (28 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Canton
Nearby Names Like Canton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Canton
Compare Canton side by side: Canton vs Cannon Canton vs Canaan Canton vs Canyon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Canton
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Canton: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2015)
Similar record span (~37 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, 1988–2025 (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 Canton 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.