Total births
1,721
Unisex name · since 1948
Cher
Cher has 1,721 recorded births since 1948 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1972 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #13692
- among girls today
- 1,721
- born since 1948
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other girls
Cher currently ranks #13692 among unisex names in America, with 1,721 babies recorded since 1948.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cher has been recorded 1,721 times among girls since 1948, currently ranked #13692 nationally and more common than 23% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1948 to 2024.
- #13692 among girls today
- 1,721 born since 1948
- 1970s peak decade
- 23% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cher is currently the #13692 unisex name in America, more common than 23% of girls - 1,721 born since 1948, peaking in the 1970s.
- #13692
- among girls today
- 1,721
- born since 1948
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other girls
Cher vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#13692
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 23% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
56% of everyone ever named Cher was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
235 babies were named Cher in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Cher compares
1,721 Top 24% higher than 76% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Cher's all-time total is 5x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cher | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,721 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 235 | 48 | 19,840 |
Cher's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cher's SSA record in two at 1978 and the more recent half accounts for 20% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 80%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1948, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1972 peak of 235, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cher at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#13,692
Active since
1948
Cher popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1948–2024
- Peak year (1972)
- 235
- Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
Cher popularity over time - boys
110 total births recorded since 1981 (Cher as boys' name)
Cher by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Cher's strongest decade.
964 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 56% of all-time use.
Cher births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 221
1950s
221 births
- 1960s 234
1960s
234 births
- 1970s
1970s
964 births
- 1980s 157
1980s
157 births
- 1990s 73
1990s
73 births
- 2000s 30
2000s
30 births
- 2010s 23
2010s
23 births
- 2020s 14
2020s
14 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 964 births (56% of all-time use).
How Cher compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Cher's total volume
Cher vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Cher by state
Where Cher concentrates geographically, total births since 1948
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 181 | 10.5% |
| #2 | New York | | 55 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 48 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 44 | 2.6% |
| #5 | Texas | | 38 | 2.2% |
| #6 | Florida | | 37 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 34 | 2.0% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 28 | 1.6% |
California share of Cher's total US births 10.5%
Even split
181 of 1,721 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Cher appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cher? ▼
Since 1948, Social Security records show 1,721 babies named Cher. Today it holds rank #13692 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1972, with 235 births.
When was Cher most popular? ▼
Cher was most popular in the 1970s decade with 964 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Cher most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cher are California (181 births), New York (55 births), Pennsylvania (48 births).
Is Cher a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Cher is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,721 births, and as a boy's name it has 110 births.
How long has the name Cher been used? ▼
Records for Cher go back to 1948, giving 77 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Cher? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cheryl, Chelsea, Cheyenne, Cheri, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cher's data
- Cher's decade-level peak was the 1970s (964 total births); usage has since declined to 14 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chers (181 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 Cher
Nearby Names Like Cher
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cher
Cheryl Girl
#3977 439,539 births
Chelsea Girl
#789 162,884 births
Cheyenne Girl
#870 70,732 births
Cheri Girl
#10373 36,068 births
Chelsey Girl
#5482 31,498 births
Compare Cher side by side: Cher vs Cheryl Cher vs Chelsea Cher vs Cheyenne
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cher
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, 1948–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cher: #13692 Unisex Name - 1,721 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cher. 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 Cher 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.