Total births
1,303,594
Boys' name · since 1880
Edward
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 1,303,594 babies named Edward, peaking in 1924. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #228
- among boys today
- 1,303,594
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Edward currently ranks #228 among boys' names in America, with 1,303,594 babies recorded since 1880.
Edward has 1,303,594 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #228 as of the latest data, more common than 98% of boys, 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 1880 to 2025.
- #228 among boys today
- 1,303,594 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Edward is currently the #228 boys' name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 1,303,594 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #228
- among boys today
- 1,303,594
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Edward vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#228
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Edward was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
21,126 babies were named Edward in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Edward compares
1,303,594 Top 0% higher than 100% 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
Edward's all-time total is 3,552x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Edward | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,303,594 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 21,126 | 23 | 22,252 |
Edward's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Edward splits its recorded history at 1953: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2024 (1,589 births) -- compare that against the 1924 peak of 21,126 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Edward at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1924
Current rank
#228
Active since
1880
Edward popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1924)
- 21,126
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Edward popularity over time - girls
5,361 total births recorded since 1882 (Edward as girls' name)
Edward by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Edward's strongest decade.
197,348 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Edward births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 23,133
1880s
23,133 births
- 1890s 22,033
1890s
22,033 births
- 1900s 24,516
1900s
24,516 births
- 1910s
1910s
125,720 births
- 1920s
1920s
197,348 births
- 1930s
1930s
147,849 births
- 1940s
1940s
174,801 births
- 1950s
1950s
188,323 births
- 1960s
1960s
143,984 births
- 1970s
1970s
83,425 births
- 1980s 60,832
1980s
60,832 births
- 1990s 45,164
1990s
45,164 births
- 2000s 30,833
2000s
30,833 births
- 2010s 25,263
2010s
25,263 births
- 2020s 10,370
2020s
10,370 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 197,348 births (15% of all-time use).
How Edward 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 Edward's total volume
Edward vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Edward by state
Where Edward concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 153,045 | 11.7% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 121,795 | 9.3% |
| #3 | California | | 82,329 | 6.3% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 79,813 | 6.1% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 62,049 | 4.8% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 60,385 | 4.6% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 59,923 | 4.6% |
| #8 | Texas | | 52,613 | 4.0% |
New York share of Edward's total US births 11.7%
Even split
153,045 of 1,303,594 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Edward appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Edward? ▼
1,303,594 babies have been named Edward since 1880. It currently ranks #228 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 21,126 births.
When was Edward most popular? ▼
Edward was most popular in the 1920s decade with 197,348 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Edward most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Edward are New York (153,045 births), Pennsylvania (121,795 births), California (82,329 births).
How long has the name Edward been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Edward since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Edward? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Edwin, Edwardo, Edwyn, Edwards, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Edward's data
- Edward's decade-level peak was the 1920s (197,348 total births); usage has since declined to 10,370 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Edwards (153,045 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Edward
Nearby Names Like Edward
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Edward
Edwin Boy
#382 247,553 births
Edwardo Boy
#5924 6,764 births
Edwyn Boy
#5094 722 births
Edwards Boy
#9047 425 births
Edwar Boy
#7893 303 births
Compare Edward side by side: Edward vs Edwin Edward vs Edwardo Edward vs Edwyn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Edward
Rory #227
35,841 births · Peak 2025
Riley #229
105,025 births · Peak 2006
Eithan #226
8,754 births · Peak 2025
Brandon #230
770,509 births · Peak 1992
Jaziel #225
9,262 births · Peak 2025
Milan #231
18,608 births · Peak 2024
Brody #224
81,678 births · Peak 2008
Malakai #232
17,830 births · Peak 2025
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. "Edward: #228 Boys' Name - 1,303,594 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/edward. 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 Edward 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.