Total births
4,297
Boys' name · since 1984
Dash
Since 1984, U.S. Social Security records show 4,297 babies named Dash, peaking in 2017. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #956
- among boys today
- 4,297
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
4,297 babies have been named Dash since 1984, making it today's #956 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Dash recorded 4,297 times among boys since 1984, holding rank #956 nationally today, ahead of 93% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1984 to 2025.
- #956 among boys today
- 4,297 born since 1984
- 2010s peak decade
- 93% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dash is currently the #956 boys' name in America, more common than 93% of boys - 4,297 born since 1984, peaking in the 2010s.
- #956
- among boys today
- 4,297
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Dash vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#956
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 93% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
54% of everyone ever named Dash was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
322 babies were named Dash in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Dash compares
4,297 Top 13% higher than 87% 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
Dash's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dash | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,297 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 322 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dash's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Dash splits its recorded history at 2010: 92% of all births land in the more recent half, 8% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1989 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2017 peak of 322 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Dash at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2017
Current rank
#956
Active since
1984
Dash popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1984–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 322
- Annual births at peak, across 42 years of records
Dash popularity over time - girls
87 total births recorded since 2011 (Dash as girls' name)
Dash by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Dash's strongest decade.
2,335 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 54% of all-time use.
Dash births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 18
1980s
18 births
- 1990s 13
1990s
13 births
- 2000s 323
2000s
323 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,335 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,608 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 2,335 births (54% of all-time use).
How Dash 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 Dash's total volume
Dash vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dash by state
Where Dash concentrates geographically, total births since 1984
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 470 | 10.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 389 | 9.1% |
| #3 | Florida | | 224 | 5.2% |
| #4 | New York | | 178 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 163 | 3.8% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 141 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Utah | | 138 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 129 | 3.0% |
California share of Dash's total US births 10.9%
Even split
470 of 4,297 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 37 reporting states.
Dash appears in 37 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dash? ▼
Since 1984, Social Security records show 4,297 babies named Dash. Today it holds rank #956 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2017, with 322 births.
When was Dash most popular? ▼
Dash was most popular in the 2010s decade with 2,335 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Dash most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dash are California (470 births), Texas (389 births), Florida (224 births).
How long has the name Dash been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Dash since 1984 -- 42 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Dash? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dashawn, Dashaun, Dashiell, Dashon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dash's data
- Dash's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (2,335 total births) through the 2020s (1,608) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Dashs (470 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 Dash
Nearby Names Like Dash
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dash
Dashawn Boy
#2512 8,880 births
Dashaun Boy
#4756 2,888 births
Dashiell Boy
#2070 2,835 births
Dashon Boy
#5505 1,615 births
Dasean Boy
#8542 1,384 births
Compare Dash side by side: Dash vs Dashawn Dash vs Dashaun Dash vs Dashiell
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dash
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, 1984–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dash: #956 Boys' Name - 4,297 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dash. 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 Dash 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.