Total births
289,641
Girls' name · since 1888
Dawn
Since 1888, U.S. Social Security records show 289,641 babies named Dawn, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1852
- among girls today
- 289,641
- born since 1888
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Dawn is the #1852 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 289,641 recorded since 1888.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dawn has been recorded 289,641 times among girls since 1888, currently ranked #1852 nationally and more common than 90% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 2025.
- #1852 among girls today
- 289,641 born since 1888
- 1960s peak decade
- 90% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dawn is currently the #1852 girls' name in America, more common than 90% of girls - 289,641 born since 1888, peaking in the 1960s.
- #1852
- among girls today
- 289,641
- born since 1888
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Dawn vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1852
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 90% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Dawn was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
15,681 babies were named Dawn in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Dawn compares
289,641 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Dawn's all-time total is 758x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dawn | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 289,641 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 15,681 | 48 | 19,840 |
Dawn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dawn's SSA record in two at 1963 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1888, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1970 peak of 15,681, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dawn at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#1,852
Active since
1888
Dawn popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 15,681
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Dawn popularity over time - boys
1,039 total births recorded since 1923 (Dawn as boys' name)
Dawn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Dawn's strongest decade.
114,293 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Dawn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 26
1890s
26 births
- 1900s 30
1900s
30 births
- 1910s 357
1910s
357 births
- 1920s 1,464
1920s
1,464 births
- 1930s 3,732
1930s
3,732 births
- 1940s 8,631
1940s
8,631 births
- 1950s 38,899
1950s
38,899 births
- 1960s
1960s
114,293 births
- 1970s
1970s
92,446 births
- 1980s 22,406
1980s
22,406 births
- 1990s 4,302
1990s
4,302 births
- 2000s 1,577
2000s
1,577 births
- 2010s 923
2010s
923 births
- 2020s 550
2020s
550 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 114,293 births (39% of all-time use).
How Dawn 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 Dawn's total volume
Dawn vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Dawn by state
Where Dawn concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 30,049 | 10.4% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 21,637 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 21,116 | 7.3% |
| #4 | California | | 20,804 | 7.2% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 19,313 | 6.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 16,889 | 5.8% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 13,430 | 4.6% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 12,060 | 4.2% |
New York share of Dawn's total US births 10.4%
Even split
30,049 of 289,641 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Dawn appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dawn? ▼
289,641 babies have been named Dawn since 1888. It currently ranks #1852 among girls. The peak year was 1970 with 15,681 births.
When was Dawn most popular? ▼
Dawn was most popular in the 1960s decade with 114,293 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Dawn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dawn are New York (30,049 births), Michigan (21,637 births), Illinois (21,116 births).
How long has the name Dawn been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Dawn since 1888 -- 138 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Dawn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dawna, Dawne, Dawson, Dawsyn, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Dawn's data
- Dawn's decade-level peak was the 1960s (114,293 total births); usage has since declined to 550 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Dawns (30,049 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Dawn
Nearby Names Like Dawn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dawn
Dawna Girl
6,017 births
Dawne Girl
2,603 births
Dawson Girl
#2131 1,397 births
Dawsyn Girl
#3562 1,121 births
Dawnmarie Girl
723 births
Compare Dawn side by side: Dawn vs Dawna Dawn vs Dawne Dawn vs Dawson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dawn
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, 1888–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dawn: #1852 Girls' Name - 289,641 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dawn. 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 Dawn 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.