Total births
15,759
Boys' name · since 1880
Dayton
Dayton has 15,759 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1181
- among boys today
- 15,759
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Dayton currently ranks #1181 among boys' names in America, with 15,759 babies recorded since 1880.
Dayton has 15,759 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1181 as of the latest data, more common than 92% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1181 among boys today
- 15,759 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dayton is currently the #1181 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 15,759 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1181
- among boys today
- 15,759
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Dayton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1181
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Dayton was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
568 babies were named Dayton in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Dayton compares
15,759 Top 7% higher than 93% 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
Dayton's all-time total is 43x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dayton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 15,759 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 568 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dayton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dayton's SSA record in two at 1956 and the more recent half accounts for 82% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 18%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1897, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 568, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dayton at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#1,181
Active since
1880
Dayton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 568
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Dayton popularity over time - girls
636 total births recorded since 1991 (Dayton as girls' name)
Dayton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Dayton's strongest decade.
4,782 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Dayton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 45
1880s
45 births
- 1890s 80
1890s
80 births
- 1900s 54
1900s
54 births
- 1910s 518
1910s
518 births
- 1920s 756
1920s
756 births
- 1930s 609
1930s
609 births
- 1940s 509
1940s
509 births
- 1950s 453
1950s
453 births
- 1960s 339
1960s
339 births
- 1970s 386
1970s
386 births
- 1980s 590
1980s
590 births
- 1990s
1990s
2,212 births
- 2000s
2000s
4,782 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,259 births
- 2020s 1,167
2020s
1,167 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 4,782 births (30% of all-time use).
How Dayton 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 Dayton's total volume
Dayton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dayton by state
Where Dayton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,079 | 6.8% |
| #2 | California | | 661 | 4.2% |
| #3 | Missouri | | 594 | 3.8% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 575 | 3.6% |
| #5 | Oklahoma | | 432 | 2.7% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 429 | 2.7% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 421 | 2.7% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 418 | 2.7% |
Texas share of Dayton's total US births 6.8%
Even split
1,079 of 15,759 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 45 reporting states.
Dayton appears in 45 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dayton? ▼
Dayton has been given to 15,759 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1181 as of the latest data. 568 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Dayton most popular? ▼
Dayton was most popular in the 2000s decade with 4,782 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Dayton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dayton are Texas (1,079 births), California (661 births), Missouri (594 births).
How long has the name Dayton been used? ▼
Records for Dayton go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Dayton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Daylen, Dayne, Daylon, Daylan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dayton's data
- Dayton's decade-level peak was the 2000s (4,782 total births); usage has since declined to 1,167 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Daytons (1,079 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Dayton
Nearby Names Like Dayton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dayton
Daylen Boy
#1348 3,986 births
Dayne Boy
#4731 3,885 births
Daylon Boy
#2242 3,284 births
Daylan Boy
#2325 2,829 births
Daylin Boy
#2459 1,845 births
Compare Dayton side by side: Dayton vs Daylen Dayton vs Dayne Dayton vs Daylon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dayton
Haziel #1180
1,700 births · Peak 2025
Jamal #1182
33,235 births · Peak 1993
Nova #1179
3,227 births · Peak 2020
Bilal #1183
5,858 births · Peak 2018
Reginald #1178
111,551 births · Peak 1962
Ayman #1184
2,880 births · Peak 2025
Bryant #1177
51,697 births · Peak 1989
Yazan #1185
2,032 births · Peak 2025
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dayton: #1181 Boys' Name - 15,759 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dayton. 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 Dayton 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.