Total births
4,323
Boys' name · since 1909
Gerson
Gerson has 4,323 recorded births since 1909 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1838
- among boys today
- 4,323
- born since 1909
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Gerson is the #1838 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 4,323 recorded since 1909.
Social Security Administration records show Gerson recorded 4,323 times among boys since 1909, holding rank #1838 nationally today, ahead of 87% 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 1909 to 2025.
- #1838 among boys today
- 4,323 born since 1909
- 2000s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gerson is currently the #1838 boys' name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 4,323 born since 1909, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1838
- among boys today
- 4,323
- born since 1909
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Gerson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1838
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Gerson was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
145 babies were named Gerson in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Gerson compares
4,323 Top 13% higher than 87% 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
Gerson's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gerson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,323 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 145 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gerson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gerson splits its recorded history at 1975: 89% of all births land in the more recent half, 11% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1909 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2008 peak of 145 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gerson at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#1,838
Active since
1909
Gerson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 145
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Gerson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Gerson's strongest decade.
1,222 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Gerson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 103
1910s
103 births
- 1920s 132
1920s
132 births
- 1930s 76
1930s
76 births
- 1940s 51
1940s
51 births
- 1950s 27
1950s
27 births
- 1960s 44
1960s
44 births
- 1970s 102
1970s
102 births
- 1980s 279
1980s
279 births
- 1990s
1990s
711 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,222 births
- 2010s
2010s
996 births
- 2020s
2020s
575 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,222 births (28% of all-time use).
How Gerson 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 Gerson's total volume
Gerson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gerson by state
Where Gerson concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 891 | 20.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 589 | 13.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 381 | 8.8% |
| #4 | Florida | | 190 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Virginia | | 155 | 3.6% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 124 | 2.9% |
| #7 | Maryland | | 109 | 2.5% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 75 | 1.7% |
California share of Gerson's total US births 20.6%
Even split
891 of 4,323 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Gerson appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gerson? ▼
Since 1909, Social Security records show 4,323 babies named Gerson. Today it holds rank #1838 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2008, with 145 births.
When was Gerson most popular? ▼
Gerson was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,222 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Gerson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gerson are California (891 births), Texas (589 births), New York (381 births).
How long has the name Gerson been used? ▼
Records for Gerson go back to 1909, giving 117 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gerson? ▼
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 Gerson's data
- Gerson's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,222 total births) through the 2020s (575) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Gersons (891 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 Gerson
Nearby Names Like Gerson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gerson
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 Gerson side by side: Gerson vs Gerald Gerson vs Gerard Gerson vs Gerardo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gerson
Craig #1837
299,616 births · Peak 1960
Mayer #1839
2,545 births · Peak 2021
Levy #1836
3,915 births · Peak 2021
Artist #1840
840 births · Peak 2022
Jules #1835
9,383 births · Peak 1928
Fredy #1841
4,812 births · Peak 2005
Wilmer #1834
15,979 births · Peak 1920
Johnpaul #1842
6,060 births · Peak 2005
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, 1909–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gerson: #1838 Boys' Name - 4,323 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gerson. 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 Gerson 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.