Total births
919
Boys' name · since 1896
Hughes
Since 1896, U.S. Social Security records show 919 babies named Hughes, peaking in 1916. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4899
- among boys today
- 919
- born since 1896
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
919 babies have been named Hughes since 1896, making it today's #4899 boys' name.
Hughes has 919 recorded births among boys since 1896, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4899 as of the latest data, more common than 66% of boys, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 2025.
- #4899 among boys today
- 919 born since 1896
- 1910s peak decade
- 66% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Hughes is currently the #4899 boys' name in America, more common than 66% of boys - 919 born since 1896, peaking in the 1910s.
- #4899
- among boys today
- 919
- born since 1896
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Hughes vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4899
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 66% of names given to boys today.
1910s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Hughes was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
61 babies were named Hughes in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
How Hughes compares
919 Top 32% higher than 68% 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
Hughes's all-time total is 150% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hughes | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 919 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 61 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hughes's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Hughes's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1938, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 61, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Hughes at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1916
Current rank
#4,899
Active since
1896
Hughes popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2025
- Peak year (1916)
- 61
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Hughes by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Hughes's strongest decade.
190 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Hughes births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
190 births
- 1920s
1920s
135 births
- 1930s
1930s
90 births
- 1940s
1940s
76 births
- 1950s 73
1950s
73 births
- 1960s 21
1960s
21 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 26
1980s
26 births
- 1990s 29
1990s
29 births
- 2000s 43
2000s
43 births
- 2010s
2010s
105 births
- 2020s
2020s
119 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 190 births (21% of all-time use).
How Hughes 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 Hughes's total volume
Hughes vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hughes by state
Where Hughes concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 24 | 2.6% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 10 | 1.1% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 7 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.5% |
North Carolina share of Hughes's total US births 2.6%
Even split
24 of 919 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hughes? ▼
Since 1896, Social Security records show 919 babies named Hughes. Today it holds rank #4899 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1916, with 61 births.
When was Hughes most popular? ▼
Hughes was most popular in the 1910s decade with 190 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Hughes most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hughes are North Carolina (24 births), Georgia (10 births), Kentucky (7 births).
How long has the name Hughes been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Hughes since 1896 -- 130 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Hughes? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hugh, Hugo, Hughie, Hughey, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Hughes's data
- Hughes's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (190 total births) through the 2020s (119) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- North Carolina records the most Hughess (24 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Hughes
Nearby Names Like Hughes
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hughes
Hugh Boy
#762 83,825 births
Hugo Boy
#404 37,482 births
Hughie Boy
1,676 births
Hughey Boy
405 births
Hughston Boy
#11606 87 births
Compare Hughes side by side: Hughes vs Hugh Hughes vs Hugo Hughes vs Hughie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hughes
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, 1896–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hughes: #4899 Boys' Name - 919 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hughes. 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 Hughes 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.