Total births
3,493
Boys' name · since 1942
Chip
3,493 babies named Chip in U.S. Social Security records since 1942, with the highest year being 1962. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #3294
- among boys today
- 3,493
- born since 1942
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Chip is the #3294 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,493 recorded since 1942.
Chip has 3,493 recorded births among boys since 1942, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3294 as of the latest data, more common than 77% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1942 to 2025.
- #3294 among boys today
- 3,493 born since 1942
- 1960s peak decade
- 77% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Chip is currently the #3294 boys' name in America, more common than 77% of boys - 3,493 born since 1942, peaking in the 1960s.
- #3294
- among boys today
- 3,493
- born since 1942
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Chip vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3294
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 77% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Chip was born in this single decade.
1962
Single peak year
171 babies were named Chip in 1962 - its busiest year on record.
How Chip compares
3,493 Top 15% higher than 85% 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
Chip's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Chip | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,493 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 171 | 23 | 22,252 |
Chip's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Chip's SSA record in two at 1981 and the more recent half accounts for 21% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 79%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1995, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1962 peak of 171, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Chip at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1962
Current rank
#3,294
Active since
1942
Chip popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1942–2025
- Peak year (1962)
- 171
- Annual births at peak, across 84 years of records
Chip by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Chip's strongest decade.
1,229 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Chip births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 138
1940s
138 births
- 1950s
1950s
781 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,229 births
- 1970s
1970s
566 births
- 1980s 273
1980s
273 births
- 1990s 73
1990s
73 births
- 2000s 48
2000s
48 births
- 2010s 164
2010s
164 births
- 2020s 221
2020s
221 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 1,229 births (35% of all-time use).
How Chip 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 Chip's total volume
Chip vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Chip by state
Where Chip concentrates geographically, total births since 1942
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 192 | 5.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 161 | 4.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 151 | 4.3% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 120 | 3.4% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 80 | 2.3% |
| #6 | Florida | | 74 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 68 | 1.9% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 60 | 1.7% |
California share of Chip's total US births 5.5%
Even split
192 of 3,493 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Chip appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chip? ▼
Chip has been given to 3,493 babies in the U.S. since 1942, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3294 as of the latest data. 171 babies were born in 1962, its single highest year.
When was Chip most popular? ▼
Chip was most popular in the 1960s decade with 1,229 total births. The single peak year was 1962.
Where is Chip most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Chip are California (192 births), Texas (161 births), Ohio (151 births).
How long has the name Chip been used? ▼
Records for Chip go back to 1942, giving 84 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Chip? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Chistopher, Chirstopher, Chico, Chirag, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Chip's data
- Chip's decade-level peak was the 1960s (1,229 total births); usage has since declined to 221 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chips (192 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 Chip
Nearby Names Like Chip
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chip
Chistopher Boy
1,446 births
Chirstopher Boy
1,051 births
Chico Boy
951 births
Chirag Boy
667 births
Chi Boy
#5969 563 births
Compare Chip side by side: Chip vs Chistopher Chip vs Chirstopher Chip vs Chico
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Chip
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, 1942–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chip: #3294 Boys' Name - 3,493 Births, Peak 1962." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chip. 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 Chip 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.