Total births
1,783
Boys' name · since 1880
Isom
1,783 babies named Isom in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #12353
- among boys today
- 1,783
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 14%
- more common than other boys
1,783 babies have been named Isom since 1880, making it today's #12353 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Isom recorded 1,783 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #12353 nationally today, ahead of 14% 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.
- #12353 among boys today
- 1,783 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 14% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Isom is currently the #12353 boys' name in America, more common than 14% of boys - 1,783 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #12353
- among boys today
- 1,783
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 14%
- more common than other boys
Isom vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12353
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 14% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Isom was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
37 babies were named Isom in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Isom compares
1,783 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
Isom's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Isom | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,783 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 37 | 23 | 22,252 |
Isom's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Isom splits its recorded history at 1947: 32% of all births land in the more recent half, 68% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1961 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 37 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Isom at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#12,353
Active since
1880
Isom popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 37
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Isom by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Isom's strongest decade.
277 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Isom births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
183 births
- 1890s
1890s
117 births
- 1900s
1900s
115 births
- 1910s
1910s
233 births
- 1920s
1920s
277 births
- 1930s
1930s
165 births
- 1940s
1940s
169 births
- 1950s
1950s
142 births
- 1960s 57
1960s
57 births
- 1970s 59
1970s
59 births
- 1980s 57
1980s
57 births
- 1990s 65
1990s
65 births
- 2000s 49
2000s
49 births
- 2010s 60
2010s
60 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 277 births (16% of all-time use).
How Isom 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 Isom's total volume
Isom vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Isom by state
Where Isom concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 67 | 3.8% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 28 | 1.6% |
| #3 | Texas | | 21 | 1.2% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 17 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.3% |
Mississippi share of Isom's total US births 3.8%
Even split
67 of 1,783 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Isom? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 1,783 babies named Isom. Today it holds rank #12353 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1920, with 37 births.
When was Isom most popular? ▼
Isom was most popular in the 1920s decade with 277 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Isom most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Isom are Mississippi (67 births), Georgia (28 births), Texas (21 births).
How long has the name Isom been used? ▼
Records for Isom go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Isom? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ison, Iso. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Isom's data
- Isom's decade-level peak was the 1920s (277 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Mississippi records the most Isoms (67 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 Isom
Nearby Names Like Isom
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Isom
Compare Isom side by side: Isom vs Ison Isom vs Iso
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Isom
Alvah #12352
1,808 births · Peak 1916
Wilford #12354
10,442 births · Peak 1926
Junius #12351
5,373 births · Peak 1920
Cicero #12355
1,453 births · Peak 1920
Granville #12350
5,501 births · Peak 1918
Ellsworth #12356
7,337 births · Peak 1918
Ora #12349
5,616 births · Peak 1919
Olaf #12357
2,531 births · Peak 1916
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. "Isom: #12353 Boys' Name - 1,783 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/isom. 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 Isom 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.