Total births
45
Boys' name · since 1912
Dude
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 45 babies named Dude, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 45
- total births
- 1912–1970
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 62%
- born in that decade
45 boys have been named Dude since 1912, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Dude has 45 recorded births among boys since 1912, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 1970.
- 45 total births
- 1912–1970 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 62% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
45 boys have been named Dude since 1912, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1970.
- 45
- total births
- 1912–1970
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 62%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
62% of everyone ever named Dude was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
8 babies were named Dude in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Dude's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dude's SSA record in two at 1918 and the more recent half accounts for 56% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 44%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1912, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 8, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dude at a glance
Last recorded 1970Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1912
Dude popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–1970
- Peak year (1918)
- 8
- Annual births at peak, across 59 years of records
Dude by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Dude's strongest decade.
28 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 62% of all-time use.
Dude births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
28 births
- 1920s
1920s
12 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 28 births (62% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dude? ▼
Dude has been given to 45 babies in the U.S. since 1912, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1970. 8 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
When was Dude most popular? ▼
Dude was most popular in the 1910s decade with 28 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
How long has the name Dude been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Dude since 1912 -- 59 years through the most recent 1970 data.
What names are similar to Dude? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dudley, Dud. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dude's data
- Dude's decade-level peak was the 1910s (28 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Dude
Nearby Names Like Dude
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dude
Compare Dude side by side: Dude vs Dudley Dude vs Dud
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1912–1970 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dude: Baby Name Since 1912 - 45 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dude. 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 Dude 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.