Total births
836
Boys' name · since 1976
Hieu
Hieu has 836 recorded births since 1976 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1984 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11246
- among boys today
- 836
- born since 1976
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
Hieu currently ranks #11246 among boys' names in America, with 836 babies recorded since 1976.
Social Security Administration records show Hieu recorded 836 times among boys since 1976, holding rank #11246 nationally today, ahead of 21% of boys, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1976 to 2025.
- #11246 among boys today
- 836 born since 1976
- 1980s peak decade
- 21% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Hieu is currently the #11246 boys' name in America, more common than 21% of boys - 836 born since 1976, peaking in the 1980s.
- #11246
- among boys today
- 836
- born since 1976
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
Hieu vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11246
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 21% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Hieu was born in this single decade.
1984
Single peak year
38 babies were named Hieu in 1984 - its busiest year on record.
How Hieu compares
836 Top 34% higher than 66% 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
Hieu's all-time total is 128% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hieu | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 836 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hieu's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Hieu's SSA record in two at 2001 and the more recent half accounts for 31% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 69%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1976, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1984 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Hieu at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1984
Current rank
#11,246
Active since
1976
Hieu popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1976–2025
- Peak year (1984)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
Hieu popularity over time - girls
28 total births recorded since 1982 (Hieu as girls' name)
Hieu by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Hieu's strongest decade.
286 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Hieu births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 16
1970s
16 births
- 1980s
1980s
286 births
- 1990s
1990s
253 births
- 2000s
2000s
155 births
- 2010s 92
2010s
92 births
- 2020s 34
2020s
34 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 286 births (34% of all-time use).
How Hieu 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 Hieu's total volume
Hieu vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hieu by state
Where Hieu concentrates geographically, total births since 1976
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 175 | 20.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 53 | 6.3% |
| #3 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.6% |
California share of Hieu's total US births 20.9%
Even split
175 of 836 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hieu? ▼
Since 1976, Social Security records show 836 babies named Hieu. Today it holds rank #11246 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1984, with 38 births.
When was Hieu most popular? ▼
Hieu was most popular in the 1980s decade with 286 total births. The single peak year was 1984.
Where is Hieu most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hieu are California (175 births), Texas (53 births), Louisiana (5 births).
How long has the name Hieu been used? ▼
Hieu has been recorded in Social Security data since 1976, spanning 50 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Hieu? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hien, Hiep, Hiero. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Hieu's data
- Hieu's decade-level peak was the 1980s (286 total births); usage has since declined to 34 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Hieus (175 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Hieu
Nearby Names Like Hieu
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hieu
Compare Hieu side by side: Hieu vs Hien Hieu vs Hiep Hieu vs Hiero
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hieu
Bronc #11245
156 births · Peak 2013
Ikechukwu #11247
528 births · Peak 1997
Wesam #11244
371 births · Peak 2014
Panayiotis #11248
308 births · Peak 2003
Avier #11243
142 births · Peak 2018
Quintrell #11249
513 births · Peak 2009
Abrian #11242
370 births · Peak 2016
Telvin #11250
588 births · Peak 1992
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, 1976–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hieu: #11246 Boys' Name - 836 Births, Peak 1984." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hieu. 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 Hieu 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.