Total births
26,205
Boys' name · since 1880
Ed
Ed has 26,205 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1959 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8313
- among boys today
- 26,205
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Ed is the #8313 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 26,205 recorded since 1880.
Ed has 26,205 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #8313 as of the latest data, more common than 42% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #8313 among boys today
- 26,205 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ed is currently the #8313 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 26,205 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #8313
- among boys today
- 26,205
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Ed vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8313
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Ed was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
696 babies were named Ed in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
How Ed compares
26,205 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
Ed's all-time total is 71x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ed | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 26,205 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 696 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ed's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ed's SSA record in two at 1951 and the more recent half accounts for 30% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 70%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2023, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 696, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ed at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1959
Current rank
#8,313
Active since
1880
Ed popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1959)
- 696
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Ed popularity over time - girls
165 total births recorded since 1892 (Ed as girls' name)
Ed by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Ed's strongest decade.
3,779 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Ed births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
2,957 births
- 1890s
1890s
2,346 births
- 1900s
1900s
1,814 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,705 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,668 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,560 births
- 1940s
1940s
3,041 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,952 births
- 1960s
1960s
3,779 births
- 1970s 608
1970s
608 births
- 1980s 314
1980s
314 births
- 1990s 204
1990s
204 births
- 2000s 156
2000s
156 births
- 2010s 79
2010s
79 births
- 2020s 22
2020s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 3,779 births (14% of all-time use).
How Ed 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 Ed's total volume
Ed vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ed by state
Where Ed concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,802 | 6.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,251 | 4.8% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 881 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 847 | 3.2% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 796 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 775 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 774 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 708 | 2.7% |
California share of Ed's total US births 6.9%
Even split
1,802 of 26,205 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 42 reporting states.
Ed appears in 42 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ed? ▼
26,205 babies have been named Ed since 1880. It currently ranks #8313 among boys. The peak year was 1959 with 696 births.
When was Ed most popular? ▼
Ed was most popular in the 1960s decade with 3,779 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Ed most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ed are California (1,802 births), Texas (1,251 births), Alabama (881 births).
How long has the name Ed been used? ▼
Records for Ed go back to 1880, giving 145 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Ed? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Edward, Edwin, Eddie, Edgar, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ed's data
- Ed's decade-level peak was the 1960s (3,779 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Eds (1,802 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 Ed
Nearby Names Like Ed
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ed
Edward Boy
#228 1,303,594 births
Edwin Boy
#382 247,553 births
Eddie Boy
#942 211,867 births
Edgar Boy
#458 157,214 births
Eduardo Boy
#378 110,257 births
Compare Ed side by side: Ed vs Edward Ed vs Edwin Ed vs Eddie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ed
Bert #8312
33,585 births · Peak 1918
Dudley #8314
11,868 births · Peak 1931
Santori #8311
10 births · Peak 2024
Frances #8315
5,024 births · Peak 1928
Renlen #8310
10 births · Peak 2024
Maynard #8316
14,918 births · Peak 1922
Ravilucca #8309
15 births · Peak 2024
Billie #8317
31,637 births · Peak 1930
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, 1880–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ed: #8313 Boys' Name - 26,205 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ed. 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 Ed 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.