Total births
12,072
Boys' name · since 1942
Chaim
Chaim has 12,072 recorded births since 1942 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2022 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #682
- among boys today
- 12,072
- born since 1942
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Chaim currently ranks #682 among boys' names in America, with 12,072 babies recorded since 1942.
Social Security Administration records show Chaim recorded 12,072 times among boys since 1942, holding rank #682 nationally today, ahead of 95% 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 1942 to 2025.
- #682 among boys today
- 12,072 born since 1942
- 2010s peak decade
- 95% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Chaim is currently the #682 boys' name in America, more common than 95% of boys - 12,072 born since 1942, peaking in the 2010s.
- #682
- among boys today
- 12,072
- born since 1942
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Chaim vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#682
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 95% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Chaim was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
462 babies were named Chaim in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Chaim compares
12,072 Top 7% higher than 93% 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
Chaim's all-time total is 33x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Chaim | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 12,072 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 462 | 23 | 22,252 |
Chaim's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Chaim's SSA record in two at 1984 and the more recent half accounts for 84% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 16%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1944, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2022 peak of 462, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Chaim at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2022
Current rank
#682
Active since
1942
Chaim popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1942–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 462
- Annual births at peak, across 84 years of records
Chaim popularity over time - girls
6 total births recorded since 1985 (Chaim as girls' name)
Chaim by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Chaim's strongest decade.
3,209 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Chaim births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 66
1940s
66 births
- 1950s 354
1950s
354 births
- 1960s 361
1960s
361 births
- 1970s 756
1970s
756 births
- 1980s 1,067
1980s
1,067 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,514 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,260 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,209 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,485 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,209 births (27% of all-time use).
How Chaim 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 Chaim's total volume
Chaim vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Chaim by state
Where Chaim concentrates geographically, total births since 1942
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 8,150 | 67.5% |
| #2 | New Jersey | | 2,419 | 20.0% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 149 | 1.2% |
| #4 | California | | 80 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 70 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Florida | | 62 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 26 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Connecticut | | 11 | 0.1% |
New York share of Chaim's total US births 67.5%
Even split
8,150 of 12,072 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Chaim appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chaim? ▼
12,072 babies have been named Chaim since 1942. It currently ranks #682 among boys. The peak year was 2022 with 462 births.
When was Chaim most popular? ▼
Chaim was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,209 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Chaim most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Chaim are New York (8,150 births), New Jersey (2,419 births), Maryland (149 births).
How long has the name Chaim been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Chaim since 1942 -- 84 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Chaim? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Charles, Chad, Charlie, Chase, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Chaim's data
- Chaim's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,209 total births) through the 2020s (2,485) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Chaims (8,150 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Chaim
Nearby Names Like Chaim
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chaim
Charles Boy
#51 2,434,659 births
Chad Boy
#1814 240,728 births
Charlie Boy
#176 184,280 births
Chase Boy
#173 181,160 births
Chance Boy
#418 54,622 births
Compare Chaim side by side: Chaim vs Charles Chaim vs Chad Chaim vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Chaim
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, 1942–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chaim: #682 Boys' Name - 12,072 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chaim. 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 Chaim 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.