Total births
488
Girls' name · since 1945
Char
Char has 488 recorded births since 1945 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1960 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 488
- total births
- 1945–1997
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
Char is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 488 have been recorded since 1945.
Social Security Administration records show Char recorded 488 times among girls since 1945, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1945 to 1997.
- 488 total births
- 1945–1997 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
488 girls have been named Char since 1945, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 1997.
- 488
- total births
- 1945–1997
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Char was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
26 babies were named Char in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
Char's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Char splits its recorded history at 1969: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1945 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1960 peak of 26 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Char at a glance
Last recorded 1997Peak year
1960
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1945
Char popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1945–1997
- Peak year (1960)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Char by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Char's strongest decade.
138 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Char births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 30
1940s
30 births
- 1950s
1950s
102 births
- 1960s
1960s
126 births
- 1970s
1970s
138 births
- 1980s
1980s
61 births
- 1990s 31
1990s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 138 births (28% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Char? ▼
Since 1945, Social Security records show 488 babies named Char. The most recent recorded year was 1997. Its busiest year on record was 1960, with 26 births.
When was Char most popular? ▼
Char was most popular in the 1970s decade with 138 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
How long has the name Char been used? ▼
Records for Char go back to 1945, giving 53 years of history through 1997.
What names are similar to Char? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Charlotte, Charlene, Charlie, Charity, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Char's data
- Char's decade-level peak was the 1970s (138 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Char
Nearby Names Like Char
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Char
Charlotte Girl
#4 453,433 births
Charlene Girl
#1755 133,729 births
Charlie Girl
#140 40,359 births
Charity Girl
#2041 35,518 births
Chasity Girl
#4059 24,414 births
Compare Char side by side: Char vs Charlotte Char vs Charlene Char vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1945–1997 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Char: Baby Name Since 1945 - 488 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/char. 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 Char 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 July 2026.