Boys' name · since 1890
Gurney
Since 1890, U.S. Social Security records show 790 babies named Gurney, peaking in 1928. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5,948 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 790
- born since 1890
- 1920s
- peak decade
Gurney is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 790 have been recorded since 1890.
Social Security Administration records show Gurney recorded 790 times among boys since 1890, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1890 to 1969.
- #5,948 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 790 born since 1890
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gurney ranks #5,948 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 790 born since 1890, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5,948 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 790
- born since 1890
- 1920s
- peak decade
Gurney's 790 recorded births place it above 86.91% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Gurney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gurney's full recorded timeline at 1934, 46% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 54% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1890, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1928 peak of 26 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gurney popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1890–1969
- Peak year (1928)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 80 years of records
Gurney by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (174 births, 22% of the file).
1920s was Gurney's strongest decade.
174 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Gurney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 29
1890s
29 births
- 1900s 22
1900s
22 births
- 1910s
1910s
132 births
- 1920s
1920s
174 births
- 1930s
1930s
142 births
- 1940s
1940s
142 births
- 1950s
1950s
106 births
- 1960s 43
1960s
43 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 174 births (22% of all-time use).
How Gurney 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 Gurney's total volume
Gurney by state
Where Gurney concentrates geographically, total births since 1890
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 344 | 43.5% |
344 of 790 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gurney? ▼
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When was Gurney most popular? ▼
Where is Gurney most popular? ▼
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What to do with Gurney's data
- Gurney's decade-level peak was the 1920s (174 total births); usage has since declined to 43 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Gurneys (344 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gurney
Nearby Names Like Gurney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gurney
Compare Gurney side by side: Gurney vs Gurbaaz Gurney vs Gurpreet Gurney vs Gurfateh
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gurney: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1928)
Similar record span (~79 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1890–1969 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Gurney 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 August 2026.