Total births
646
Unisex name · since 1979
Cheng
Cheng has 646 recorded births since 1979 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1990 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11267
- among boys today
- 646
- born since 1979
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
Cheng currently ranks #11267 among unisex names in America, with 646 babies recorded since 1979.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cheng has been recorded 646 times among boys since 1979, currently ranked #11267 nationally and more common than 21% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1979 to 2025.
- #11267 among boys today
- 646 born since 1979
- 1990s peak decade
- 21% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Cheng is currently the #11267 unisex name in America, more common than 21% of boys - 646 born since 1979, peaking in the 1990s.
- #11267
- among boys today
- 646
- born since 1979
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
Cheng vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11267
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 21% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
40% of everyone ever named Cheng was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
42 babies were named Cheng in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
How Cheng compares
646 Top 38% higher than 62% 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
Cheng's all-time total is 76% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cheng | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 646 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 42 | 23 | 22,252 |
Cheng's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Cheng splits its recorded history at 1997: 27% of all births land in the more recent half, 73% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2013 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1990 peak of 42 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Cheng at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1990
Current rank
#11,267
Active since
1979
Cheng popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1979–2025
- Peak year (1990)
- 42
- Annual births at peak, across 47 years of records
Cheng popularity over time - girls
38 total births recorded since 1984 (Cheng as girls' name)
Cheng by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Cheng's strongest decade.
259 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Cheng births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 9
1970s
9 births
- 1980s
1980s
249 births
- 1990s
1990s
259 births
- 2000s 76
2000s
76 births
- 2010s 24
2010s
24 births
- 2020s 29
2020s
29 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 259 births (40% of all-time use).
How Cheng 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 Cheng's total volume
Cheng vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Cheng by state
Where Cheng concentrates geographically, total births since 1979
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 212 | 32.8% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 96 | 14.9% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 53 | 8.2% |
California share of Cheng's total US births 32.8%
Even split
212 of 646 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cheng? ▼
646 babies have been named Cheng since 1979. It currently ranks #11267 among boys. The peak year was 1990 with 42 births.
When was Cheng most popular? ▼
Cheng was most popular in the 1990s decade with 259 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Cheng most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cheng are California (212 births), Minnesota (96 births), Wisconsin (53 births).
Is Cheng a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Cheng is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 646 births, and as a girl's name it has 38 births.
How long has the name Cheng been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Cheng since 1979 -- 47 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Cheng? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Chester, Chet, Chevy, Cheyenne, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cheng's data
- Cheng's decade-level peak was the 1990s (259 total births); usage has since declined to 29 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chengs (212 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 Cheng
Nearby Names Like Cheng
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cheng
Chester Boy
#1650 121,474 births
Chet Boy
#2104 6,180 births
Chevy Boy
#1647 3,794 births
Cheyenne Boy
#10049 2,696 births
Chesley Boy
2,294 births
Compare Cheng side by side: Cheng vs Chester Cheng vs Chet Cheng vs Chevy
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cheng
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, 1979–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cheng: #11267 Unisex Name - 646 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cheng. 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 Cheng 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.