Total births
4,878
Unisex name · since 1892
Jennings
Jennings has 4,878 recorded births since 1892 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1926 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1959
- among boys today
- 4,878
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
4,878 babies have been named Jennings since 1892, making it today's #1959 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Jennings recorded 4,878 times among boys since 1892, holding rank #1959 nationally today, ahead of 86% 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 1892 to 2025.
- #1959 among boys today
- 4,878 born since 1892
- 1920s peak decade
- 86% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Jennings is currently the #1959 unisex name in America, more common than 86% of boys - 4,878 born since 1892, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1959
- among boys today
- 4,878
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
Jennings vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1959
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 86% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Jennings was born in this single decade.
1926
Single peak year
113 babies were named Jennings in 1926 - its busiest year on record.
How Jennings compares
4,878 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
Jennings's all-time total is 13x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jennings | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,878 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 113 | 23 | 22,252 |
Jennings's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Jennings's full recorded timeline at 1959, 38% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 62% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1892, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1926 peak of 113 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Jennings at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1926
Current rank
#1,959
Active since
1892
Jennings popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1892–2025
- Peak year (1926)
- 113
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Jennings popularity over time - girls
314 total births recorded since 1993 (Jennings as girls' name)
Jennings by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Jennings's strongest decade.
893 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Jennings births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 159
1890s
159 births
- 1900s 107
1900s
107 births
- 1910s
1910s
462 births
- 1920s
1920s
893 births
- 1930s
1930s
600 births
- 1940s
1940s
497 births
- 1950s 339
1950s
339 births
- 1960s 223
1960s
223 births
- 1970s 151
1970s
151 births
- 1980s 164
1980s
164 births
- 1990s 155
1990s
155 births
- 2000s 161
2000s
161 births
- 2010s
2010s
481 births
- 2020s
2020s
486 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 893 births (18% of all-time use).
How Jennings 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 Jennings's total volume
Jennings vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Jennings by state
Where Jennings concentrates geographically, total births since 1892
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 653 | 13.4% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 349 | 7.2% |
| #3 | South Carolina | | 164 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 146 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Texas | | 127 | 2.6% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 103 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 76 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 56 | 1.1% |
West Virginia share of Jennings's total US births 13.4%
Even split
653 of 4,878 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Jennings appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jennings? ▼
Jennings has been given to 4,878 babies in the U.S. since 1892, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1959 as of the latest data. 113 babies were born in 1926, its single highest year.
When was Jennings most popular? ▼
Jennings was most popular in the 1920s decade with 893 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Where is Jennings most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jennings are West Virginia (653 births), North Carolina (349 births), South Carolina (164 births).
Is Jennings a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Jennings is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 4,878 births, and as a girl's name it has 314 births.
How long has the name Jennings been used? ▼
Jennings has been recorded in Social Security data since 1892, spanning 134 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Jennings? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Jensen, Jennifer, Jenson, Jens, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Jennings's data
- Jennings's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (893 total births) through the 2020s (486) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- West Virginia records the most Jenningss (653 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia 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 Jennings
Nearby Names Like Jennings
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jennings
Jensen Boy
#328 17,347 births
Jennifer Boy
4,837 births
Jenson Boy
#1349 2,849 births
Jens Boy
#4435 2,456 births
Jencarlos Boy
#8800 1,099 births
Compare Jennings side by side: Jennings vs Jensen Jennings vs Jennifer Jennings vs Jenson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jennings
Eliott #1958
2,096 births · Peak 2024
Brenton #1960
15,099 births · Peak 1984
Freddie #1957
73,315 births · Peak 1947
Flint #1961
2,601 births · Peak 1959
Ayce #1956
840 births · Peak 2021
Darell #1962
5,420 births · Peak 1988
Oaklee #1955
1,017 births · Peak 2022
Austen #1963
8,125 births · Peak 1995
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, 1892–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jennings: #1959 Unisex Name - 4,878 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jennings. 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 Jennings 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.