Unisex name · since 1961
English
Since 1961, U.S. Social Security records show 265 babies named English, peaking in 1983. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #17,027 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 265
- born since 1961
- 1980s
- peak decade
English sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 265 recorded since 1961.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, English has been recorded 265 times among girls since 1961, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1961 to 2014.
- #17,027 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 265 born since 1961
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, English ranks #17,027 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 265 born since 1961, peaking in the 1980s.
- #17,027 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 265
- born since 1961
- 1980s
- peak decade
English's 265 recorded births place it above 76.42% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Louisiana.
English's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting English's full recorded timeline at 1988, 48% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 52% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1961, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1983 peak of 22 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
English popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1961–2014
- Peak year (1983)
- 22
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
English popularity over time - boys
186 total births recorded since 1889 (English as boys' name)
English by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (116 births, 44% of the file).
1980s was English's strongest decade.
116 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
English births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 10
1960s
10 births
- 1970s 40
1970s
40 births
- 1980s
1980s
116 births
- 1990s
1990s
89 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 116 births (44% of all-time use).
English by state
Where English concentrates geographically, total births since 1961
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 6 | 2.3% |
6 of 265 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with English's data
- English's decade-level peak was the 1980s (116 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Englishs (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring English
Nearby Names Like English
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to English
Compare English side by side: English vs England English vs Engracia English vs Engie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for English: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1983)
Similar record span (~53 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, 1961–2014 (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 English 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.