Total births
1,729
Boys' name · since 1915
Jr
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 1,729 babies named Jr, peaking in 1989. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4000
- among boys today
- 1,729
- born since 1915
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other boys
Jr currently ranks #4000 among boys' names in America, with 1,729 babies recorded since 1915.
Social Security Administration records show Jr recorded 1,729 times among boys since 1915, holding rank #4000 nationally today, ahead of 72% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #4000 among boys today
- 1,729 born since 1915
- 2000s peak decade
- 72% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Jr is currently the #4000 boys' name in America, more common than 72% of boys - 1,729 born since 1915, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4000
- among boys today
- 1,729
- born since 1915
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other boys
Jr vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4000
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 72% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Jr was born in this single decade.
1989
Single peak year
43 babies were named Jr in 1989 - its busiest year on record.
How Jr compares
1,729 Top 23% higher than 77% 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
Jr's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jr | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,729 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 43 | 23 | 22,252 |
Jr's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Jr's SSA record in two at 1978 and the more recent half accounts for 70% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 30%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1936, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1989 peak of 43, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Jr at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1989
Current rank
#4,000
Active since
1915
Jr popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1989)
- 43
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Jr by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Jr's strongest decade.
312 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Jr births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 34
1910s
34 births
- 1920s
1920s
190 births
- 1930s 110
1930s
110 births
- 1940s 47
1940s
47 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 67
1960s
67 births
- 1970s 111
1970s
111 births
- 1980s
1980s
214 births
- 1990s
1990s
216 births
- 2000s
2000s
312 births
- 2010s
2010s
286 births
- 2020s
2020s
137 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 312 births (18% of all-time use).
How Jr 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 Jr's total volume
Jr vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Jr by state
Where Jr concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 176 | 10.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 109 | 6.3% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 20 | 1.2% |
| #4 | West Virginia | | 18 | 1.0% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 17 | 1.0% |
| #6 | District of Columbia | | 12 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 5 | 0.3% |
California share of Jr's total US births 10.2%
Even split
176 of 1,729 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Jr appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jr? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 1,729 babies named Jr. Today it holds rank #4000 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1989, with 43 births.
When was Jr most popular? ▼
Jr was most popular in the 2000s decade with 312 total births. The single peak year was 1989.
Where is Jr most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jr are California (176 births), Texas (109 births), Georgia (20 births).
How long has the name Jr been used? ▼
Jr has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 111 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Jr? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Jrue, Jru, Jream, Jrake, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Jr's data
- Jr's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (312 total births) through the 2020s (137) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Jrs (176 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Jr
Nearby Names Like Jr
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jr
Jrue Boy
#898 1,898 births
Jru Boy
#2011 839 births
Jream Boy
#1091 646 births
Jrake Boy
123 births
Jrew Boy
35 births
Compare Jr side by side: Jr vs Jrue Jr vs Jru Jr vs Jream
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jr
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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jr: #4000 Boys' Name - 1,729 Births, Peak 1989." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jr. 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 Jr 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.