Total births
4,298
Unisex name · since 1909
Del
4,298 babies named Del in U.S. Social Security records since 1909, with the highest year being 1958. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #6853
- among boys today
- 4,298
- born since 1909
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Del is the #6853 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 4,298 recorded since 1909.
Social Security Administration records show Del recorded 4,298 times among boys since 1909, holding rank #6853 nationally today, ahead of 52% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1909 to 2025.
- #6853 among boys today
- 4,298 born since 1909
- 1950s peak decade
- 52% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Del is currently the #6853 unisex name in America, more common than 52% of boys - 4,298 born since 1909, peaking in the 1950s.
- #6853
- among boys today
- 4,298
- born since 1909
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Del vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6853
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 52% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Del was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
143 babies were named Del in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
How Del compares
4,298 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
Del's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Del | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,298 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 143 | 23 | 22,252 |
Del's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Del's full recorded timeline at 1967, 30% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 70% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1909, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1958 peak of 143 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Del at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1958
Current rank
#6,853
Active since
1909
Del popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–2025
- Peak year (1958)
- 143
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Del popularity over time - girls
672 total births recorded since 1915 (Del as girls' name)
Del by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Del's strongest decade.
1,095 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Del births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 116
1910s
116 births
- 1920s 166
1920s
166 births
- 1930s 333
1930s
333 births
- 1940s
1940s
556 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,095 births
- 1960s
1960s
967 births
- 1970s 427
1970s
427 births
- 1980s 201
1980s
201 births
- 1990s 167
1990s
167 births
- 2000s 104
2000s
104 births
- 2010s 90
2010s
90 births
- 2020s 71
2020s
71 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,095 births (25% of all-time use).
How Del 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 Del's total volume
Del vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Del by state
Where Del concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 442 | 10.3% |
| #2 | Washington | | 127 | 3.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 106 | 2.5% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 103 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 99 | 2.3% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 85 | 2.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 71 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Florida | | 46 | 1.1% |
California share of Del's total US births 10.3%
Even split
442 of 4,298 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Del appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Del? ▼
Since 1909, Social Security records show 4,298 babies named Del. Today it holds rank #6853 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1958, with 143 births.
When was Del most popular? ▼
Del was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,095 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
Where is Del most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Del are California (442 births), Washington (127 births), Texas (106 births).
Is Del a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Del is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 4,298 births, and as a girl's name it has 672 births.
How long has the name Del been used? ▼
Records for Del go back to 1909, giving 117 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Del? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Delbert, Delmar, Delmer, Delano, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Del's data
- Del's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,095 total births); usage has since declined to 71 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Dels (442 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 Del
Nearby Names Like Del
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Del
Delbert Boy
#6200 46,930 births
Delmar Boy
#4708 14,242 births
Delmer Boy
7,654 births
Delano Boy
#3617 5,531 births
Delvin Boy
#4214 5,328 births
Compare Del side by side: Del vs Delbert Del vs Delmar Del vs Delmer
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Del
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, 1909–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Del: #6853 Unisex Name - 4,298 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/del. 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 Del 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.