Boys' name · since 1909
Forney
Since 1909, U.S. Social Security records show 127 babies named Forney, peaking in 1913. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15,856 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 127
- born since 1909
- 1920s
- peak decade
Forney sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 127 recorded since 1909.
Forney has 127 recorded births among boys since 1909, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, 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 1909 to 1942.
- #15,856 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 127 born since 1909
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Forney ranks #15,856 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 127 born since 1909, peaking in the 1920s.
- #15,856 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 127
- born since 1909
- 1920s
- peak decade
Forney's 127 recorded births place it above 65.07% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Alabama.
Forney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Forney's SSA record in two at 1923 and the more recent half accounts for 50% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 50%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1922, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1913 peak of 10, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Forney popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–1942
- Peak year (1913)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 34 years of records
Forney by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (47 births, 37% of the file).
1920s was Forney's strongest decade.
47 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Forney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
45 births
- 1920s
1920s
47 births
- 1930s
1930s
23 births
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 47 births (37% of all-time use).
Forney by state
Where Forney concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alabama | | 5 | 3.9% |
5 of 127 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Forney's data
- Forney's decade-level peak was the 1920s (47 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1940s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Alabama records the most Forneys (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Forney
Nearby Names Like Forney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Forney
Compare Forney side by side: Forney vs Forrest Forney vs Forest Forney vs Ford
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Forney: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1913)
Similar record span (~33 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, 1909–1942 (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 Forney 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.