Unisex name · since 1881

Curley

Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 2,590 babies named Curley, peaking in 1944. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#2,803 of 45,481
all-time among boys
2,590
born since 1881
1940s
peak decade

Curley is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 2,590 have been recorded since 1881.

Social Security Administration records show Curley recorded 2,590 times among boys since 1881, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2003.

  • #2,803 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 2,590 born since 1881
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Curley ranks #2,803 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,590 born since 1881, peaking in the 1940s.

#2,803 of 45,481
all-time among boys
2,590
born since 1881
1940s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Curley's 2,590 recorded births place it above 93.83% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

11 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.

Curley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Curley's SSA record in two at 1945 and the more recent half accounts for 45% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 55%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1898, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1944 peak of 68, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Curley popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2003

Last recorded 2003
Peak year (1944)
68
Annual births at peak, across 123 years of records
020406080 188119061920193419481962197619902003 5

Curley popularity over time - girls

534 total births recorded since 1904 (Curley as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 534 births
0510152025 190419171924193119381946195319601964 6

Curley by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (457 births, 18% of the file).

1940s was Curley's strongest decade.

457 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.

Curley births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 457 births (18% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Curley 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 Curley's total volume

Curley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -119, 2.3%-45, 6.6%-67, 3.6%-93, 3.2%-26, 10.4%-52, 5.5%-111, 2.1%-146, 2.8%-45, 5.6%-36, 14.7%-56, 4.1%-82, 3.2%-110, 8.1%-132, 3.5%-113, 3.8%Curley-123, 2.6%Curley
Curley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Curley by state

Where Curley concentrates geographically, total births since 1881

Regionally concentrated
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Curley
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Louisiana
612 23.6%
#2 Texas
133 5.1%
#3 Mississippi
116 4.5%
#4 North Carolina
74 2.9%
#5 Alabama
52 2.0%
#6 Arkansas
21 0.8%
#7 Georgia
16 0.6%
#8 California
6 0.2%
Louisiana share of Curley's total US births 23.6%
Even split

612 of 2,590 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.

Curley appears in 11 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Curley? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 2,590 babies named Curley. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #2,803 of 45,481 boys' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 2003. Its busiest year on record was 1944, with 68 births.
Where does Curley sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Curley ranks #2,803 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Curley most popular? ▼
Curley was most popular in the 1940s decade with 457 total births. The single peak year was 1944.
Where is Curley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Curley are Louisiana (612 births), Texas (133 births), Mississippi (116 births).
Is Curley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Curley is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,590 births, and as a girl's name it has 534 births.
How long has the name Curley been used? ▼
Curley has been recorded in Social Security data since 1881, spanning 123 years of data through 2003.
What names are similar to Curley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Curtis, Curt, Curtiss, Curry, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Curley's data

  • Curley's decade-level peak was the 1940s (457 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Louisiana records the most Curleys (612 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Curley

Nearby Names Like Curley

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Curley

Curtis Boy
#984 260,554 births
Curt Boy
16,680 births
Curtiss Boy
5,074 births
Curry Boy
#8937 1,570 births
Curran Boy
#9793 1,158 births

Compare Curley side by side: Curley vs Curtis Curley vs Curt Curley vs Curtiss

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Arvil
2,589 births · Peak 1924
Reginal
2,589 births · Peak 1970
Andra
2,592 births · Peak 1966
Ciro #2888
2,587 births · Peak 2024
Tayler #4190
2,587 births · Peak 1994
Welton
2,594 births · Peak 1924
Micky #7266
2,584 births · Peak 1961
Aharon #2085
2,584 births · Peak 2021

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Curley: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1881–2003 (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 Curley 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.