Total births
992
Boys' name · since 1913
Germain
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 992 babies named Germain, peaking in 1981. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11017
- among boys today
- 992
- born since 1913
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Germain currently ranks #11017 among boys' names in America, with 992 babies recorded since 1913.
Germain has 992 recorded births among boys since 1913, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #11017 as of the latest data, more common than 23% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2025.
- #11017 among boys today
- 992 born since 1913
- 1980s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Germain is currently the #11017 boys' name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 992 born since 1913, peaking in the 1980s.
- #11017
- among boys today
- 992
- born since 1913
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Germain vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11017
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Germain was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
30 babies were named Germain in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
How Germain compares
992 Top 31% higher than 69% 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
Germain's all-time total is 170% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Germain | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 992 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Germain's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Germain splits its recorded history at 1985: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1913 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1981 peak of 30 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Germain at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1981
Current rank
#11,017
Active since
1913
Germain popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2025
- Peak year (1981)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 113 years of records
Germain popularity over time - girls
42 total births recorded since 1961 (Germain as girls' name)
Germain by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Germain's strongest decade.
197 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Germain births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 40
1910s
40 births
- 1920s 61
1920s
61 births
- 1930s 53
1930s
53 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s
1970s
187 births
- 1980s
1980s
197 births
- 1990s
1990s
191 births
- 2000s
2000s
140 births
- 2010s
2010s
95 births
- 2020s 18
2020s
18 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 197 births (20% of all-time use).
How Germain 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 Germain's total volume
Germain vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Germain by state
Where Germain concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 109 | 11.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 21 | 2.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 10 | 1.0% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of Germain's total US births 11.0%
Even split
109 of 992 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Germain? ▼
992 babies have been named Germain since 1913. It currently ranks #11017 among boys. The peak year was 1981 with 30 births.
When was Germain most popular? ▼
Germain was most popular in the 1980s decade with 197 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Germain most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Germain are California (109 births), New York (21 births), Texas (10 births).
How long has the name Germain been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Germain since 1913 -- 113 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Germain? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gerald, Gerard, Gerardo, Gerry, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Germain's data
- Germain's decade-level peak was the 1980s (197 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Germains (109 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 Germain
Nearby Names Like Germain
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Germain
Gerald Boy
#1171 448,966 births
Gerard Boy
#1532 58,820 births
Gerardo Boy
#595 55,015 births
Gerry Boy
#8351 14,468 births
German Boy
#1652 10,290 births
Compare Germain side by side: Germain vs Gerald Germain vs Gerard Germain vs Gerardo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Germain
Eulogio #11016
744 births · Peak 1953
Simone #11018
536 births · Peak 1989
Corrado #11015
323 births · Peak 1973
Dupree #11019
877 births · Peak 1989
Royle #11014
46 births · Peak 1930
Harvest #11020
288 births · Peak 2025
Donivan #11013
1,181 births · Peak 2007
Hershey #11021
134 births · Peak 2022
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1913–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Germain: #11017 Boys' Name - 992 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/germain. 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 Germain 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 July 2026.