Total births
647
Girls' name · since 1882
Columbia
Columbia has 647 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12177
- among girls today
- 647
- born since 1882
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Columbia currently ranks #12177 among girls' names in America, with 647 babies recorded since 1882.
Columbia has 647 recorded births among girls since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #12177 as of the latest data, more common than 31% of girls, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2024.
- #12177 among girls today
- 647 born since 1882
- 1910s peak decade
- 31% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Columbia is currently the #12177 girls' name in America, more common than 31% of girls - 647 born since 1882, peaking in the 1910s.
- #12177
- among girls today
- 647
- born since 1882
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Columbia vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12177
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 31% of names given to girls today.
1910s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Columbia was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
33 babies were named Columbia in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
How Columbia compares
647 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
Columbia's all-time total is 69% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Columbia | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 647 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 33 | 48 | 19,840 |
Columbia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Columbia splits its recorded history at 1920: 46% of all births land in the more recent half, 54% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1895 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1916 peak of 33 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Columbia at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1916
Current rank
#12,177
Active since
1882
Columbia popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2024
- Peak year (1916)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 143 years of records
Columbia popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1926 (Columbia as boys' name)
Columbia by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Columbia's strongest decade.
218 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Columbia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1890s 48
1890s
48 births
- 1900s 78
1900s
78 births
- 1910s
1910s
218 births
- 1920s
1920s
189 births
- 1930s 64
1930s
64 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1990s 16
1990s
16 births
- 2010s 16
2010s
16 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 218 births (34% of all-time use).
How Columbia 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 Columbia's total volume
Columbia vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Columbia by state
Where Columbia concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey | | 66 | 10.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 59 | 9.1% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 11 | 1.7% |
New Jersey share of Columbia's total US births 10.2%
Even split
66 of 647 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Columbia? ▼
Since 1882, Social Security records show 647 babies named Columbia. Today it holds rank #12177 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1916, with 33 births.
When was Columbia most popular? ▼
Columbia was most popular in the 1910s decade with 218 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Columbia most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Columbia are New Jersey (66 births), New York (59 births), Pennsylvania (11 births).
How long has the name Columbia been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Columbia since 1882 -- 143 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Columbia? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Colleen, Colette, Coleen, Collins, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Columbia's data
- Columbia's decade-level peak was the 1910s (218 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New Jersey records the most Columbias (66 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New Jersey 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 Columbia
Nearby Names Like Columbia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Columbia
Colleen Girl
#2801 162,754 births
Colette Girl
#401 27,987 births
Coleen Girl
11,998 births
Collins Girl
#257 10,779 births
Collette Girl
#2698 7,672 births
Compare Columbia side by side: Columbia vs Colleen Columbia vs Colette Columbia vs Coleen
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Columbia
Sarrah #12176
1,636 births · Peak 1977
Rossie #12178
1,818 births · Peak 1919
Senora #12175
1,065 births · Peak 1923
David #12179
12,959 births · Peak 1983
Concepcion #12174
5,224 births · Peak 1925
Leva #12180
823 births · Peak 1921
Arthur #12173
3,201 births · Peak 1928
Arletta #12181
2,395 births · Peak 1930
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, 1882–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Columbia: #12177 Girls' Name - 647 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/columbia. 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 Columbia 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.