Total births
40,031
Boys' name · since 1904
Desmond
40,031 babies named Desmond in U.S. Social Security records since 1904, with the highest year being 1992. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #368
- among boys today
- 40,031
- born since 1904
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
40,031 babies have been named Desmond since 1904, making it today's #368 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Desmond has been recorded 40,031 times among boys since 1904, currently ranked #368 nationally and more common than 97% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 2025.
- #368 among boys today
- 40,031 born since 1904
- 2010s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Desmond is currently the #368 boys' name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 40,031 born since 1904, peaking in the 2010s.
- #368
- among boys today
- 40,031
- born since 1904
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Desmond vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#368
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Desmond was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
1,069 babies were named Desmond in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
How Desmond compares
40,031 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Desmond's all-time total is 109x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Desmond | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 40,031 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,069 | 23 | 22,252 |
Desmond's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Desmond's SSA record in two at 1967 and the more recent half accounts for 94% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 6%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1911, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 1,069, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Desmond at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1992
Current rank
#368
Active since
1904
Desmond popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 1,069
- Annual births at peak, across 122 years of records
Desmond popularity over time - girls
233 total births recorded since 1975 (Desmond as girls' name)
Desmond by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Desmond's strongest decade.
9,460 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Desmond births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 14
1900s
14 births
- 1910s 164
1910s
164 births
- 1920s 380
1920s
380 births
- 1930s 238
1930s
238 births
- 1940s 247
1940s
247 births
- 1950s 492
1950s
492 births
- 1960s 1,180
1960s
1,180 births
- 1970s 3,066
1970s
3,066 births
- 1980s
1980s
5,400 births
- 1990s
1990s
7,858 births
- 2000s
2000s
6,316 births
- 2010s
2010s
9,460 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,216 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 9,460 births (24% of all-time use).
How Desmond 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 Desmond's total volume
Desmond vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Desmond by state
Where Desmond concentrates geographically, total births since 1904
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,664 | 9.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,852 | 7.1% |
| #3 | New York | | 2,662 | 6.6% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 1,941 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Florida | | 1,783 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 1,614 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 1,475 | 3.7% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 1,466 | 3.7% |
California share of Desmond's total US births 9.2%
Even split
3,664 of 40,031 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Desmond appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Desmond? ▼
Desmond has been given to 40,031 babies in the U.S. since 1904, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #368 as of the latest data. 1,069 babies were born in 1992, its single highest year.
When was Desmond most popular? ▼
Desmond was most popular in the 2010s decade with 9,460 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Desmond most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Desmond are California (3,664 births), Texas (2,852 births), New York (2,662 births).
How long has the name Desmond been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Desmond since 1904 -- 122 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Desmond? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Deshawn, Destin, Deshaun, Desean, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Desmond's data
- Desmond's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (9,460 total births) through the 2020s (5,216) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Desmonds (3,664 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 Desmond
Nearby Names Like Desmond
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Desmond
Deshawn Boy
#1435 16,074 births
Destin Boy
#1677 6,124 births
Deshaun Boy
#3120 5,718 births
Desean Boy
#4749 4,031 births
Deshon Boy
#7878 2,552 births
Compare Desmond side by side: Desmond vs Deshawn Desmond vs Destin Desmond vs Deshaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Desmond
Russell #367
359,780 births · Peak 1960
Rylan #369
34,532 births · Peak 2011
Banks #366
6,459 births · Peak 2025
Sterling #370
37,474 births · Peak 2025
Baylor #365
9,010 births · Peak 2024
Killian #371
16,219 births · Peak 2017
Callahan #364
6,030 births · Peak 2025
Grady #372
52,474 births · Peak 2008
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, 1904–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Desmond: #368 Boys' Name - 40,031 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/desmond. 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 Desmond 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.