Boys' name · since 1898

Hobson

Hobson has 436 recorded births since 1898 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1898 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

436
total births
1898–2021
years on record
1920s
peak decade
26%
born in that decade

436 boys have been named Hobson since 1898, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Hobson has 436 recorded births among boys since 1898, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1898 to 2021.

  • 436 total births
  • 1898–2021 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 26% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

436 boys have been named Hobson since 1898, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2021.

436
total births
1898–2021
years on record
1920s
peak decade
26%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

26% of everyone ever named Hobson was born in this single decade.

1898
Single peak year

38 babies were named Hobson in 1898 - its busiest year on record.

Hobson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Hobson's SSA record in two at 1933 and the more recent half accounts for 36% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 64%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1903, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1898 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Hobson at a glance

Last recorded 2021

Total births

436

Since 1898

124 years of records

Peak year

1898

38 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2021

Active since

1898

Recorded for 124 years

Last year on file: 2021

Hobson popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1898–2021

Last recorded 2021
Peak year (1898)
38
Annual births at peak, across 124 years of records
010203040 18981915192219291937195019642021 5

Hobson by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Hobson's strongest decade.

112 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.

Hobson births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 112 births (26% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

Hobson by state

Where Hobson concentrates geographically, total births since 1898

Geographically diffuse
Top 2 states by recorded births for the name Hobson
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Alabama
28 6.4%
#2 Texas
5 1.1%
Alabama share of Hobson's total US births 6.4%
Even split

28 of 436 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Hobson?
436 babies have been named Hobson since 1898. It was last recorded in 2021. The peak year was 1898 with 38 births.
When was Hobson most popular?
Hobson was most popular in the 1920s decade with 112 total births. The single peak year was 1898.
Where is Hobson most popular?
The top states for the name Hobson are Alabama (28 births), Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Hobson been used?
The SSA has tracked Hobson since 1898 -- 124 years through the most recent 2021 data.
What names are similar to Hobson?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hobert, Hobart, Hobie, Hoby, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Hobson's data

  • Hobson's decade-level peak was the 1920s (112 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Alabama records the most Hobsons (28 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama 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.

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, 1898–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hobson: Baby Name Since 1898 - 436 Births, Peak 1898." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hobson. 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 Hobson 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.