Unisex name · since 1921
Iran
Since 1921, U.S. Social Security records show 1,359 babies named Iran, peaking in 1978. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,223 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,255 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,359
- born since 1921
- 1970s
- peak decade
Yes -- Iran is the #7255 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 1,359 recorded since 1921.
Social Security Administration records show Iran recorded 1,359 times among boys since 1921, holding rank #7255 nationally today, ahead of 48% of boys, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1921 to 2025.
- #4,223 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #7,255 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,359 born since 1921
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Iran ranks #4,223 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #7,255 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,359 born since 1921, peaking in the 1970s.
- #4,223 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,255 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,359
- born since 1921
- 1970s
- peak decade
Iran's 1,359 recorded births place it above 90.71% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Iran compares
1,359 Top 27% higher than 73% of 13,930 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
Iran's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Iran | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,359 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 36 | 34 | 22,252 |
Iran's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Iran splits its recorded history at 1984: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1921 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1978 peak of 36 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Iran popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–2025
- Peak year (1978)
- 36
- Annual births at peak, across 105 years of records
Iran popularity over time - girls
416 total births recorded since 1962 (Iran as girls' name)
Iran by decade
1970s is the heaviest window (259 births, 19% of the file).
1970s was Iran's strongest decade.
259 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Iran births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 26
1920s
26 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 31
1940s
31 births
- 1950s 82
1950s
82 births
- 1960s
1960s
159 births
- 1970s
1970s
259 births
- 1980s
1980s
181 births
- 1990s
1990s
208 births
- 2000s
2000s
228 births
- 2010s
2010s
121 births
- 2020s 59
2020s
59 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 259 births (19% of all-time use).
How Iran 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 Iran's total volume
Iran by state
Where Iran concentrates geographically, total births since 1921
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 116 | 8.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 54 | 4.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 27 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Florida | | 6 | 0.4% |
116 of 1,359 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Iran? ▼
Where does Iran sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Iran most popular? ▼
Where is Iran most popular? ▼
Is Iran a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Iran been used? ▼
What names are similar to Iran? ▼
What to do with Iran's data
- Iran's decade-level peak was the 1970s (259 total births); usage has since declined to 59 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Irans (116 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Iran
Nearby Names Like Iran
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Iran
Compare Iran side by side: Iran vs Ira Iran vs Iram Iran vs Irah
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Iran
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Iran: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1978)
Similar record span (~104 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, 1921–2025 (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 Iran 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.