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.
- #5,204 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,721
- born since 1948
- 1970s
- peak decade
1,721 girls have been named Cher since 1948, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cher has been recorded 1,721 times among girls since 1948, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, 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.
- #5,204 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,721 born since 1948
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cher ranks #5,204 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,721 born since 1948, peaking in the 1970s.
- #5,204 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,721
- born since 1948
- 1970s
- peak decade
Cher's 1,721 recorded births place it above 92.8% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
23 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
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 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
1970s is the heaviest window (964 births, 56% of the file).
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 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% |
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? ▼
Where does Cher sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Cher most popular? ▼
Where is Cher most popular? ▼
Is Cher a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Cher been used? ▼
What names are similar to Cher? ▼
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
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
Compare Cher side by side: Cher vs Cheryl Cher vs Chelsea Cher vs Cheyenne
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Cher: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1972)
Similar record span (~76 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.