Total births
11,595
Boys' name · since 1880
Duke
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 11,595 babies named Duke, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #706
- among boys today
- 11,595
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
11,595 babies have been named Duke since 1880, making it today's #706 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Duke recorded 11,595 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #706 nationally today, ahead of 95% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #706 among boys today
- 11,595 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 95% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Duke is currently the #706 boys' name in America, more common than 95% of boys - 11,595 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #706
- among boys today
- 11,595
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Duke vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#706
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 95% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Duke was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
529 babies were named Duke in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Duke compares
11,595 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
Duke's all-time total is 32x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Duke | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,595 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 529 | 23 | 22,252 |
Duke's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Duke's SSA record in two at 1955 and the more recent half accounts for 84% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 16%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2018 peak of 529, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Duke at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2018
Current rank
#706
Active since
1880
Duke popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 529
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Duke by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Duke's strongest decade.
3,699 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Duke births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 35
1880s
35 births
- 1890s 67
1890s
67 births
- 1900s 71
1900s
71 births
- 1910s 276
1910s
276 births
- 1920s 362
1920s
362 births
- 1930s 344
1930s
344 births
- 1940s 429
1940s
429 births
- 1950s 780
1950s
780 births
- 1960s 795
1960s
795 births
- 1970s 553
1970s
553 births
- 1980s 450
1980s
450 births
- 1990s 566
1990s
566 births
- 2000s 756
2000s
756 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,699 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,412 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,699 births (32% of all-time use).
How Duke 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 Duke's total volume
Duke vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Duke by state
Where Duke concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,557 | 13.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 840 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Hawaii | | 317 | 2.7% |
| #4 | New York | | 305 | 2.6% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 288 | 2.5% |
| #6 | Florida | | 277 | 2.4% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 271 | 2.3% |
| #8 | Washington | | 197 | 1.7% |
California share of Duke's total US births 13.4%
Even split
1,557 of 11,595 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 43 reporting states.
Duke appears in 43 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Duke? ▼
Duke has been given to 11,595 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #706 as of the latest data. 529 babies were born in 2018, its single highest year.
When was Duke most popular? ▼
Duke was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,699 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Duke most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Duke are California (1,557 births), Texas (840 births), Hawaii (317 births).
How long has the name Duke been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Duke since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Duke? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dukens. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Duke's data
- Duke's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,699 total births) through the 2020s (2,412) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Dukes (1,557 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 Duke
Nearby Names Like Duke
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Duke
Compare Duke side by side: Duke vs Dukens
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Duke
Bruno #705
18,875 births · Peak 2022
Yahya #707
4,576 births · Peak 2025
Houston #704
18,104 births · Peak 2021
Dennis #708
621,000 births · Peak 1952
Trace #703
13,764 births · Peak 2008
Conor #709
27,380 births · Peak 1993
Brock #702
43,540 births · Peak 2003
Jefferson #710
24,440 births · Peak 2009
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. "Duke: #706 Boys' Name - 11,595 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/duke. 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 Duke 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.