Total births
121
Unisex name · since 1995
Chicago
Chicago has 121 recorded births since 1995 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6659
- among boys today
- 121
- born since 1995
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 53%
- more common than other boys
Chicago currently ranks #6659 among unisex names in America, with 121 babies recorded since 1995.
Chicago has 121 recorded births among boys since 1995, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6659 as of the latest data, more common than 53% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1995 to 2025.
- #6659 among boys today
- 121 born since 1995
- 2020s peak decade
- 53% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Chicago is currently the #6659 unisex name in America, more common than 53% of boys - 121 born since 1995, peaking in the 2020s.
- #6659
- among boys today
- 121
- born since 1995
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 53%
- more common than other boys
Chicago vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6659
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 53% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
58% of everyone ever named Chicago was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
14 babies were named Chicago in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Chicago compares
121 29th percentile among 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
Chicago's all-time total is 67% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Chicago | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 121 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 14 | 23 | 22,252 |
Chicago's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Chicago's SSA record in two at 2019 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2005, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2023 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Chicago at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#6,659
Active since
1995
Chicago popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1995–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 31 years of records
Chicago popularity over time - girls
54 total births recorded since 2018 (Chicago as girls' name)
Chicago by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Chicago's strongest decade.
70 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Chicago births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 23
1990s
23 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2010s 17
2010s
17 births
- 2020s
2020s
70 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 70 births (58% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chicago? ▼
Since 1995, Social Security records show 121 babies named Chicago. Today it holds rank #6659 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2023, with 14 births.
When was Chicago most popular? ▼
Chicago was most popular in the 2020s decade with 70 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Is Chicago a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Chicago is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 121 births, and as a girl's name it has 54 births.
How long has the name Chicago been used? ▼
Records for Chicago go back to 1995, giving 31 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Chicago? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Chip, Chistopher, Chirstopher, Chico, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
Keep exploring Chicago
Nearby Names Like Chicago
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chicago
Chip Boy
#3294 3,493 births
Chistopher Boy
1,446 births
Chirstopher Boy
1,051 births
Chico Boy
951 births
Chirag Boy
667 births
Compare Chicago side by side: Chicago vs Chip Chicago vs Chistopher Chicago vs Chirstopher
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Chicago
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, 1995–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chicago: #6659 Unisex Name - 121 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chicago. 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 Chicago 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.