Total births
18,161
Boys' name · since 1964
Kareem
Since 1964, U.S. Social Security records show 18,161 babies named Kareem, peaking in 1980. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #675
- among boys today
- 18,161
- born since 1964
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
18,161 babies have been named Kareem since 1964, making it today's #675 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kareem has been recorded 18,161 times among boys since 1964, currently ranked #675 nationally and more common than 95% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1964 to 2025.
- #675 among boys today
- 18,161 born since 1964
- 2010s peak decade
- 95% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kareem is currently the #675 boys' name in America, more common than 95% of boys - 18,161 born since 1964, peaking in the 2010s.
- #675
- among boys today
- 18,161
- born since 1964
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Kareem vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#675
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 95% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Kareem was born in this single decade.
1980
Single peak year
459 babies were named Kareem in 1980 - its busiest year on record.
How Kareem compares
18,161 Top 6% higher than 94% 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
Kareem's all-time total is 49x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kareem | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 18,161 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 459 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kareem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kareem's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 56% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 44%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1966, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1980 peak of 459, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kareem at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1980
Current rank
#675
Active since
1964
Kareem popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1964–2025
- Peak year (1980)
- 459
- Annual births at peak, across 62 years of records
Kareem popularity over time - girls
198 total births recorded since 1972 (Kareem as girls' name)
Kareem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Kareem's strongest decade.
3,382 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Kareem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 18
1960s
18 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,967 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,066 births
- 1990s
1990s
3,168 births
- 2000s
2000s
3,122 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,382 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,438 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,382 births (19% of all-time use).
How Kareem 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 Kareem's total volume
Kareem vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kareem by state
Where Kareem concentrates geographically, total births since 1964
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 3,597 | 19.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 1,495 | 8.2% |
| #3 | California | | 1,478 | 8.1% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 1,281 | 7.1% |
| #5 | Florida | | 1,165 | 6.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 891 | 4.9% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 824 | 4.5% |
| #8 | Texas | | 787 | 4.3% |
New York share of Kareem's total US births 19.8%
Even split
3,597 of 18,161 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Kareem appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kareem? ▼
Since 1964, Social Security records show 18,161 babies named Kareem. Today it holds rank #675 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1980, with 459 births.
When was Kareem most popular? ▼
Kareem was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,382 total births. The single peak year was 1980.
Where is Kareem most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kareem are New York (3,597 births), Pennsylvania (1,495 births), California (1,478 births).
How long has the name Kareem been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kareem since 1964 -- 62 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kareem? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karl, Karter, Karson, Karim, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kareem's data
- Kareem's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,382 total births) through the 2020s (2,438) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Kareems (3,597 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Kareem
Nearby Names Like Kareem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kareem
Karl Boy
#1689 100,836 births
Karter Boy
#248 29,465 births
Karson Boy
#397 21,394 births
Karim Boy
#820 6,886 births
Karsen Boy
#1851 3,472 births
Compare Kareem side by side: Kareem vs Karl Kareem vs Karter Kareem vs Karson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kareem
Nathanael #674
22,227 births · Peak 2000
Aarav #676
8,209 births · Peak 2015
Donald #673
1,414,824 births · Peak 1934
Corey #677
185,020 births · Peak 1989
Cal #672
7,858 births · Peak 2025
Abdiel #678
7,715 births · Peak 2019
Marvin #671
254,192 births · Peak 1928
Wylder #679
2,513 births · Peak 2025
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, 1964–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kareem: #675 Boys' Name - 18,161 Births, Peak 1980." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kareem. 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 Kareem 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.