Boys' name · since 1896
Heyward
2,018 babies named Heyward in U.S. Social Security records since 1896, with the highest year being 1928. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #3,283 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,018
- born since 1896
- 1920s
- peak decade
Heyward is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 2,018 have been recorded since 1896.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Heyward has been recorded 2,018 times among boys since 1896, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1896 to 2023.
- #3,283 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 2,018 born since 1896
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Heyward ranks #3,283 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,018 born since 1896, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3,283 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,018
- born since 1896
- 1920s
- peak decade
Heyward's 2,018 recorded births place it above 92.77% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by South Carolina.
Heyward's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Heyward splits its recorded history at 1952: 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 1896 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1928 peak of 43 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Heyward popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2023
- Peak year (1928)
- 43
- Annual births at peak, across 128 years of records
Heyward by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (343 births, 17% of the file).
1920s was Heyward's strongest decade.
343 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Heyward births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 45
1900s
45 births
- 1910s
1910s
196 births
- 1920s
1920s
343 births
- 1930s
1930s
330 births
- 1940s
1940s
316 births
- 1950s
1950s
301 births
- 1960s
1960s
195 births
- 1970s 109
1970s
109 births
- 1980s 86
1980s
86 births
- 1990s 35
1990s
35 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 32
2010s
32 births
- 2020s 14
2020s
14 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 343 births (17% of all-time use).
How Heyward 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 Heyward's total volume
Heyward by state
Where Heyward concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Carolina | | 1,258 | 62.3% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 72 | 3.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 13 | 0.6% |
1,258 of 2,018 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Heyward's data
- Heyward's decade-level peak was the 1920s (343 total births); usage has since declined to 14 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- South Carolina records the most Heywards (1,258 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. South Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Heyward
Nearby Names Like Heyward
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Heyward
Compare Heyward side by side: Heyward vs Heywood Heyward vs Heyden Heyward vs Heyansh
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Heyward: 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 (~127 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, 1896–2023 (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 Heyward 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.