Total births
5,481
Boys' name · since 1880
Hosea
Hosea has 5,481 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1925 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2345
- among boys today
- 5,481
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Hosea is the #2345 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 5,481 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Hosea recorded 5,481 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #2345 nationally today, ahead of 84% of boys, 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 1880 to 2025.
- #2345 among boys today
- 5,481 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Hosea is currently the #2345 boys' name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 5,481 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2345
- among boys today
- 5,481
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Hosea vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2345
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
11% of everyone ever named Hosea was born in this single decade.
1925
Single peak year
74 babies were named Hosea in 1925 - its busiest year on record.
How Hosea compares
5,481 Top 11% higher than 89% 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
Hosea's all-time total is 15x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hosea | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,481 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 74 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hosea's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Hosea's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1899, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1925 peak of 74, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Hosea at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1925
Current rank
#2,345
Active since
1880
Hosea popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1925)
- 74
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Hosea popularity over time - girls
20 total births recorded since 1914 (Hosea as girls' name)
Hosea by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Hosea's strongest decade.
583 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 11% of all-time use.
Hosea births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 155
1880s
155 births
- 1890s 114
1890s
114 births
- 1900s 154
1900s
154 births
- 1910s
1910s
386 births
- 1920s
1920s
583 births
- 1930s
1930s
474 births
- 1940s
1940s
437 births
- 1950s
1950s
555 births
- 1960s
1960s
439 births
- 1970s
1970s
394 births
- 1980s
1980s
283 births
- 1990s
1990s
306 births
- 2000s
2000s
296 births
- 2010s
2010s
547 births
- 2020s
2020s
358 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 583 births (11% of all-time use).
How Hosea 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 Hosea's total volume
Hosea vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hosea by state
Where Hosea concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 253 | 4.6% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 231 | 4.2% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 192 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Texas | | 166 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 123 | 2.2% |
| #6 | Arkansas | | 112 | 2.0% |
| #7 | California | | 103 | 1.9% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 71 | 1.3% |
Mississippi share of Hosea's total US births 4.6%
Even split
253 of 5,481 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 24 reporting states.
Hosea appears in 24 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hosea? ▼
Hosea has been given to 5,481 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2345 as of the latest data. 74 babies were born in 1925, its single highest year.
When was Hosea most popular? ▼
Hosea was most popular in the 1920s decade with 583 total births. The single peak year was 1925.
Where is Hosea most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hosea are Mississippi (253 births), Alabama (231 births), Georgia (192 births).
How long has the name Hosea been used? ▼
Records for Hosea go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Hosea? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hosie, Hosey, Hoss, Hosam, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Hosea's data
- Hosea's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (583 total births) through the 2020s (358) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Mississippi records the most Hoseas (253 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Mississippi 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 Hosea
Nearby Names Like Hosea
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hosea
Hosie Boy
1,231 births
Hosey Boy
389 births
Hoss Boy
#7910 104 births
Hosam Boy
72 births
Hossam Boy
69 births
Compare Hosea side by side: Hosea vs Hosie Hosea vs Hosey Hosea vs Hoss
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hosea
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hosea: #2345 Boys' Name - 5,481 Births, Peak 1925." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hosea. 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 Hosea 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 July 2026.