Total births
466
Boys' name · since 1883
Captain
Since 1883, U.S. Social Security records show 466 babies named Captain, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6840
- among boys today
- 466
- born since 1883
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Captain currently ranks #6840 among boys' names in America, with 466 babies recorded since 1883.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Captain has been recorded 466 times among boys since 1883, currently ranked #6840 nationally and more common than 52% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2025.
- #6840 among boys today
- 466 born since 1883
- 2010s peak decade
- 52% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Captain is currently the #6840 boys' name in America, more common than 52% of boys - 466 born since 1883, peaking in the 2010s.
- #6840
- among boys today
- 466
- born since 1883
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Captain vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6840
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 52% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
51% of everyone ever named Captain was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
33 babies were named Captain in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Captain compares
466 Top 45% higher than 55% 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
Captain's all-time total is 27% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Captain | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 466 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 33 | 23 | 22,252 |
Captain's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Captain splits its recorded history at 2008: 79% of all births land in the more recent half, 21% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1883 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2018 peak of 33 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Captain at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#6,840
Active since
1883
Captain popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 143 years of records
Captain by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Captain's strongest decade.
236 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 51% of all-time use.
Captain births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 13
1880s
13 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 24
1910s
24 births
- 1920s 18
1920s
18 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 2000s 35
2000s
35 births
- 2010s
2010s
236 births
- 2020s
2020s
114 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 236 births (51% of all-time use).
Captain by state
Where Captain concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 19 | 4.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 6 | 1.3% |
California share of Captain's total US births 4.1%
Even split
19 of 466 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Captain? ▼
466 babies have been named Captain since 1883. It currently ranks #6840 among boys. The peak year was 2018 with 33 births.
When was Captain most popular? ▼
Captain was most popular in the 2010s decade with 236 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Captain most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Captain are California (19 births), Texas (6 births).
How long has the name Captain been used? ▼
Records for Captain go back to 1883, giving 143 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Captain? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Capone, Caprice, Capri, Capers, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Captain's data
- Captain's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (236 total births) through the 2020s (114) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Captains (19 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 Captain
Nearby Names Like Captain
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Captain
Capone Boy
#13027 228 births
Caprice Boy
180 births
Capri Boy
#8539 128 births
Capers Boy
114 births
Cap Boy
#12370 104 births
Compare Captain side by side: Captain vs Capone Captain vs Caprice Captain vs Capri
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Captain
Jobe #6839
1,325 births · Peak 2003
Emett #6841
351 births · Peak 2015
Linwood #6838
12,776 births · Peak 1948
Franklyn #6842
6,097 births · Peak 1933
Artie #6837
4,417 births · Peak 1959
Refugio #6843
3,984 births · Peak 1927
Clovis #6836
3,092 births · Peak 1917
Eston #6844
2,006 births · Peak 1915
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, 1883–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Captain: #6840 Boys' Name - 466 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/captain. 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 Captain 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.