Total births
2,937
Unisex name · since 1880
Golden
Golden has 2,937 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2674
- among boys today
- 2,937
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Golden is the #2674 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 2,937 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Golden has been recorded 2,937 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #2674 nationally and more common than 81% 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 1880 to 2025.
- #2674 among boys today
- 2,937 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 81% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Golden is currently the #2674 unisex name in America, more common than 81% of boys - 2,937 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2674
- among boys today
- 2,937
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Golden vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2674
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 81% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Golden was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
67 babies were named Golden in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Golden compares
2,937 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Golden's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Golden | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,937 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 67 | 23 | 22,252 |
Golden's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Golden's full recorded timeline at 1954, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1881, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2023 peak of 67 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Golden at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#2,674
Active since
1880
Golden popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 67
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Golden popularity over time - girls
2,292 total births recorded since 1884 (Golden as girls' name)
Golden by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Golden's strongest decade.
451 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Golden births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 56
1880s
56 births
- 1890s 87
1890s
87 births
- 1900s 148
1900s
148 births
- 1910s
1910s
409 births
- 1920s
1920s
451 births
- 1930s
1930s
284 births
- 1940s
1940s
189 births
- 1950s 174
1950s
174 births
- 1960s 90
1960s
90 births
- 1970s 150
1970s
150 births
- 1980s 126
1980s
126 births
- 1990s 95
1990s
95 births
- 2000s 121
2000s
121 births
- 2010s
2010s
259 births
- 2020s
2020s
298 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 451 births (15% of all-time use).
How Golden 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 Golden's total volume
Golden vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Golden by state
Where Golden concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 153 | 5.2% |
| #2 | California | | 62 | 2.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 51 | 1.7% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 42 | 1.4% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 27 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Utah | | 27 | 0.9% |
| #7 | Texas | | 21 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Florida | | 13 | 0.4% |
West Virginia share of Golden's total US births 5.2%
Even split
153 of 2,937 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Golden appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Golden? ▼
2,937 babies have been named Golden since 1880. It currently ranks #2674 among boys. The peak year was 2023 with 67 births.
When was Golden most popular? ▼
Golden was most popular in the 1920s decade with 451 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Golden most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Golden are West Virginia (153 births), California (62 births), Georgia (51 births).
Is Golden a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Golden is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,937 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,292 births.
How long has the name Golden been used? ▼
Records for Golden go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Golden? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Goldie, Goldman, Goliath, Golan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Golden's data
- Golden's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (451 total births) through the 2020s (298) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- West Virginia records the most Goldens (153 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West 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 Golden
Nearby Names Like Golden
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Golden
Goldie Boy
443 births
Goldman Boy
104 births
Goliath Boy
#11946 49 births
Golan Boy
22 births
Gold Boy
16 births
Compare Golden side by side: Golden vs Goldie Golden vs Goldman Golden vs Goliath
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Golden
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Golden: #2674 Unisex Name - 2,937 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/golden. 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 Golden 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.