Total births
1,187
Boys' name · since 1907
Gilmer
1,187 babies named Gilmer in U.S. Social Security records since 1907, with the highest year being 1918. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9942
- among boys today
- 1,187
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Gilmer currently ranks #9942 among boys' names in America, with 1,187 babies recorded since 1907.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gilmer has been recorded 1,187 times among boys since 1907, currently ranked #9942 nationally and more common than 30% 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 1907 to 2024.
- #9942 among boys today
- 1,187 born since 1907
- 1920s peak decade
- 30% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Gilmer is currently the #9942 boys' name in America, more common than 30% of boys - 1,187 born since 1907, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9942
- among boys today
- 1,187
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Gilmer vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9942
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 30% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Gilmer was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
44 babies were named Gilmer in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Gilmer compares
1,187 Top 28% higher than 72% 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
Gilmer's all-time total is 3x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gilmer | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,187 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 44 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gilmer's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gilmer's SSA record in two at 1946 and the more recent half accounts for 29% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 71%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1911, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 44, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gilmer at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#9,942
Active since
1907
Gilmer popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1907–2024
- Peak year (1918)
- 44
- Annual births at peak, across 118 years of records
Gilmer by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Gilmer's strongest decade.
291 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Gilmer births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 15
1900s
15 births
- 1910s
1910s
229 births
- 1920s
1920s
291 births
- 1930s
1930s
195 births
- 1940s
1940s
187 births
- 1950s
1950s
117 births
- 1960s 43
1960s
43 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 2000s 21
2000s
21 births
- 2010s 43
2010s
43 births
- 2020s 30
2020s
30 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 291 births (25% of all-time use).
How Gilmer 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 Gilmer's total volume
Gilmer vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gilmer by state
Where Gilmer concentrates geographically, total births since 1907
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 260 | 21.9% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 116 | 9.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 16 | 1.3% |
| #4 | West Virginia | | 11 | 0.9% |
North Carolina share of Gilmer's total US births 21.9%
Even split
260 of 1,187 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gilmer? ▼
Since 1907, Social Security records show 1,187 babies named Gilmer. Today it holds rank #9942 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 44 births.
When was Gilmer most popular? ▼
Gilmer was most popular in the 1920s decade with 291 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Gilmer most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gilmer are North Carolina (260 births), Virginia (116 births), Texas (16 births).
How long has the name Gilmer been used? ▼
Records for Gilmer go back to 1907, giving 118 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Gilmer? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gilbert, Gilberto, Gil, Giles, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gilmer's data
- Gilmer's decade-level peak was the 1920s (291 total births); usage has since declined to 30 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Gilmers (260 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Gilmer
Nearby Names Like Gilmer
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gilmer
Gilbert Boy
#1387 130,148 births
Gilberto Boy
#1433 28,642 births
Gil Boy
#3998 4,971 births
Giles Boy
#5069 4,732 births
Gilford Boy
1,225 births
Compare Gilmer side by side: Gilmer vs Gilbert Gilmer vs Gilberto Gilmer vs Gil
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gilmer
Cayetano #9941
752 births · Peak 1937
Esmond #9943
507 births · Peak 2023
Neville #9940
2,343 births · Peak 1975
Aldrich #9944
614 births · Peak 2017
Kennith #9939
10,560 births · Peak 1956
Derrell #9945
5,864 births · Peak 1987
Americo #9938
2,911 births · Peak 1922
Sabino #9946
1,887 births · Peak 2001
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, 1907–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gilmer: #9942 Boys' Name - 1,187 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gilmer. 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 Gilmer 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.