Girls' name · since 1880
Hedwig
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 3,077 babies named Hedwig, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3,552 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,077
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
Hedwig sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 3,077 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Hedwig recorded 3,077 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1968.
- #3,552 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 3,077 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hedwig ranks #3,552 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 3,077 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #3,552 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,077
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
Hedwig's 3,077 recorded births place it above 95.08% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
14 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Pennsylvania.
Hedwig's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Hedwig splits its recorded history at 1921: 35% of all births land in the more recent half, 65% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1881 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 159 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Hedwig popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1968
- Peak year (1918)
- 159
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Hedwig by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (1,090 births, 35% of the file).
1910s was Hedwig's strongest decade.
1,090 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Hedwig births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 151
1880s
151 births
- 1890s 336
1890s
336 births
- 1900s 295
1900s
295 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,090 births
- 1920s
1920s
808 births
- 1930s 173
1930s
173 births
- 1940s 117
1940s
117 births
- 1950s 79
1950s
79 births
- 1960s 28
1960s
28 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 1,090 births (35% of all-time use).
How Hedwig compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Hedwig's total volume
Hedwig by state
Where Hedwig concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 370 | 12.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 321 | 10.4% |
| #3 | New Jersey | | 223 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 143 | 4.6% |
| #5 | Connecticut | | 132 | 4.3% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 98 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 59 | 1.9% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 42 | 1.4% |
370 of 3,077 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Hedwig appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Hedwig's data
- Hedwig's decade-level peak was the 1910s (1,090 total births); usage has since declined to 28 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Hedwigs (370 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Hedwig
Nearby Names Like Hedwig
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hedwig
Compare Hedwig side by side: Hedwig vs Hedy Hedwig vs Hedda Hedwig vs Heddy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Hedwig: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1918)
Similar record span (~88 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, 1880–1968 (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 Hedwig 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.