Boys' name · since 1880
Esau
Esau has 2,976 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2007 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,553 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,184 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,976
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
Esau currently ranks #3184 among boys' names in America, with 2,976 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Esau recorded 2,976 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #3184 nationally today, ahead of 77% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2,553 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #3,184 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 2,976 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Esau ranks #2,553 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #3,184 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 2,976 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2,553 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,184 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,976
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
Esau's 2,976 recorded births place it above 94.38% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
9 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Esau compares
2,976 Top 18% higher than 82% of 13,930 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
Esau's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Esau | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,976 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 82 | 34 | 22,252 |
Esau's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Esau's SSA record in two at 1962 and the more recent half accounts for 72% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 28%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1880, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2007 peak of 82, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Esau popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 82
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Esau by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (644 births, 22% of the file).
2000s was Esau's strongest decade.
644 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Esau births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 28
1890s
28 births
- 1900s 34
1900s
34 births
- 1910s 127
1910s
127 births
- 1920s 156
1920s
156 births
- 1930s 150
1930s
150 births
- 1940s 160
1940s
160 births
- 1950s 155
1950s
155 births
- 1960s 114
1960s
114 births
- 1970s 149
1970s
149 births
- 1980s 245
1980s
245 births
- 1990s
1990s
368 births
- 2000s
2000s
644 births
- 2010s
2010s
409 births
- 2020s 227
2020s
227 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 644 births (22% of all-time use).
How Esau 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 Esau's total volume
Esau by state
Where Esau concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 479 | 16.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 344 | 11.6% |
| #3 | South Carolina | | 104 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 18 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Arizona | | 16 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Florida | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.2% |
479 of 2,976 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 9 reporting states.
Esau appears in 9 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Esau? ▼
Where does Esau sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Esau most popular? ▼
Where is Esau most popular? ▼
How long has the name Esau been used? ▼
What names are similar to Esau? ▼
What to do with Esau's data
- Esau's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (644 total births) through the 2020s (227) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Esaus (479 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Esau
Nearby Names Like Esau
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Esau
Compare Esau side by side: Esau vs Esai Esau vs Esaias Esau vs Esa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Esau
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Esau: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2007)
Similar record span (~145 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, 1880–2025 (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 Esau 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.