Boys' name · since 1914
Detroit
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 148 babies named Detroit, peaking in 1922. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #14,833 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 148
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
148 boys have been named Detroit since 1914, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Detroit has 148 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2022.
- #14,833 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 148 born since 1914
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Detroit ranks #14,833 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 148 born since 1914, peaking in the 1920s.
- #14,833 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 148
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Detroit's 148 recorded births place it above 67.32% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Virginia.
Detroit's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Detroit splits its recorded history at 1932: 42% of all births land in the more recent half, 58% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1915 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 12 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Detroit popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2022
- Peak year (1922)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Detroit by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (51 births, 34% of the file).
1920s was Detroit's strongest decade.
51 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Detroit births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
35 births
- 1920s
1920s
51 births
- 1930s 12
1930s
12 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 10
1950s
10 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 13
2010s
13 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 51 births (34% of all-time use).
Detroit by state
Where Detroit concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 5 | 3.4% |
5 of 148 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Detroit? ▼
Where does Detroit sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Detroit most popular? ▼
Where is Detroit most popular? ▼
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What to do with Detroit's data
- Detroit's decade-level peak was the 1920s (51 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Detroits (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Detroit
Nearby Names Like Detroit
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Detroit
Compare Detroit side by side: Detroit vs Detrick Detroit vs Detric Detroit vs Detron
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Detroit: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1922)
Similar record span (~108 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1914–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Detroit 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 August 2026.