Total births
3,857
Unisex name · since 1881
Garnett
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 3,857 babies named Garnett, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9009
- among boys today
- 3,857
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Garnett currently ranks #9009 among unisex names in America, with 3,857 babies recorded since 1881.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Garnett has been recorded 3,857 times among boys since 1881, currently ranked #9009 nationally and more common than 37% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #9009 among boys today
- 3,857 born since 1881
- 1920s peak decade
- 37% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Garnett is currently the #9009 unisex name in America, more common than 37% of boys - 3,857 born since 1881, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9009
- among boys today
- 3,857
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Garnett vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9009
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 37% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Garnett was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
87 babies were named Garnett in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Garnett compares
3,857 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
Garnett's all-time total is 11x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Garnett | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,857 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 87 | 23 | 22,252 |
Garnett's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Garnett's full recorded timeline at 1950, 33% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 67% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1881, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 87 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Garnett at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#9,009
Active since
1881
Garnett popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 87
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Garnett popularity over time - girls
2,784 total births recorded since 1889 (Garnett as girls' name)
Garnett by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Garnett's strongest decade.
729 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Garnett births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 46
1880s
46 births
- 1890s 80
1890s
80 births
- 1900s 128
1900s
128 births
- 1910s
1910s
541 births
- 1920s
1920s
729 births
- 1930s
1930s
553 births
- 1940s
1940s
505 births
- 1950s
1950s
419 births
- 1960s 283
1960s
283 births
- 1970s 208
1970s
208 births
- 1980s 133
1980s
133 births
- 1990s 92
1990s
92 births
- 2000s 82
2000s
82 births
- 2010s 25
2010s
25 births
- 2020s 33
2020s
33 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 729 births (19% of all-time use).
How Garnett 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 Garnett's total volume
Garnett vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Garnett by state
Where Garnett concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 732 | 19.0% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 572 | 14.8% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 218 | 5.7% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 35 | 0.9% |
| #5 | West Virginia | | 28 | 0.7% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 23 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Texas | | 17 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 15 | 0.4% |
Virginia share of Garnett's total US births 19.0%
Even split
732 of 3,857 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Garnett appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Garnett? ▼
Garnett has been given to 3,857 babies in the U.S. since 1881, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #9009 as of the latest data. 87 babies were born in 1920, its single highest year.
When was Garnett most popular? ▼
Garnett was most popular in the 1920s decade with 729 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Garnett most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Garnett are Virginia (732 births), Kentucky (572 births), Georgia (218 births).
Is Garnett a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Garnett is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,857 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,784 births.
How long has the name Garnett been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Garnett since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Garnett? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gary, Garrett, Garry, Garland, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Garnett's data
- Garnett's decade-level peak was the 1920s (729 total births); usage has since declined to 33 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Garnetts (732 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia 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 Garnett
Nearby Names Like Garnett
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Garnett
Gary Boy
#1133 902,152 births
Garrett Boy
#560 135,762 births
Garry Boy
#5071 47,670 births
Garland Boy
#5659 23,857 births
Garret Boy
#6480 13,247 births
Compare Garnett side by side: Garnett vs Gary Garnett vs Garrett Garnett vs Garry
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Garnett
Elonzo #9008
236 births · Peak 2021
Harvie #9010
1,646 births · Peak 1922
Gerrit #9007
2,877 births · Peak 1916
Dionicio #9011
2,094 births · Peak 1976
Boss #9006
451 births · Peak 2018
Kelley #9012
6,286 births · Peak 1968
Hartwell #9005
652 births · Peak 1917
Chauncy #9013
1,257 births · Peak 1978
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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Garnett: #9009 Unisex Name - 3,857 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/garnett. 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 Garnett 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.