Total births
2,976
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.
- #3049
- among boys today
- 2,976
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other boys
Esau currently ranks #3049 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 #3049 nationally today, ahead of 79% 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.
- #3049 among boys today
- 2,976 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 79% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Esau is currently the #3049 boys' name in America, more common than 79% of boys - 2,976 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3049
- among boys today
- 2,976
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other boys
Esau vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3049
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 79% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Esau was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
82 babies were named Esau in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Esau compares
2,976 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Esau's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Esau | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,976 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 82 | 23 | 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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#3,049
Active since
1880
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
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% |
California share of Esau's total US births 16.1%
Even split
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? ▼
Esau has been given to 2,976 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3049 as of the latest data. 82 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was Esau most popular? ▼
Esau was most popular in the 2000s decade with 644 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Esau most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Esau are California (479 births), Texas (344 births), South Carolina (104 births).
How long has the name Esau been used? ▼
Esau has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Esau? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Esai, Esaias, Esa, Esaw, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- 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 Esau
Nearby Names Like Esau
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Esau
Esai Boy
#1508 2,478 births
Esaias Boy
#2150 858 births
Esa Boy
#2983 659 births
Esaw Boy
383 births
Esaiah Boy
#7560 164 births
Compare Esau side by side: Esau vs Esai Esau vs Esaias Esau vs Esa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Esau
Ely #3048
4,471 births · Peak 2009
Mercer #3050
1,345 births · Peak 2025
Cato #3047
675 births · Peak 2025
Beauregard #3051
627 births · Peak 2017
Baxter #3046
4,034 births · Peak 2014
Geoffrey #3052
54,394 births · Peak 1975
Pete #3045
43,530 births · Peak 1959
Silvio #3053
3,000 births · Peak 1922
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. "Esau: #3049 Boys' Name - 2,976 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/esau. 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 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 June 2026.