Boys' name · since 1972
Kariem
Since 1972, U.S. Social Security records show 159 babies named Kariem, peaking in 1975. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #14,374 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,338 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 159
- born since 1972
- 1970s
- peak decade
Yes -- Kariem is the #12338 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 159 recorded since 1972.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kariem has been recorded 159 times among boys since 1972, currently ranked #12338 nationally and more common than 11% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #14,374 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #12,338 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 159 born since 1972
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kariem ranks #14,374 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #12,338 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 159 born since 1972, peaking in the 1970s.
- #14,374 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,338 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 159
- born since 1972
- 1970s
- peak decade
Kariem's 159 recorded births place it above 68.34% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
How Kariem compares
159 34th percentile among 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
Kariem's all-time total is 57% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kariem | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 159 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 13 | 34 | 22,252 |
Kariem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kariem splits its recorded history at 1988: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1983 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1975 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kariem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (1975)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Kariem by decade
1970s is the heaviest window (68 births, 43% of the file).
1970s was Kariem's strongest decade.
68 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Kariem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
68 births
- 1980s
1980s
33 births
- 1990s 27
1990s
27 births
- 2000s 15
2000s
15 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
- 2020s 10
2020s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 68 births (43% of all-time use).
Kariem by state
Where Kariem concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 10 | 6.3% |
10 of 159 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kariem? ▼
Where does Kariem sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Kariem most popular? ▼
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How long has the name Kariem been used? ▼
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What to do with Kariem's data
- Kariem's decade-level peak was the 1970s (68 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Kariems (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kariem
Nearby Names Like Kariem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kariem
Compare Kariem side by side: Kariem vs Karl Kariem vs Karter Kariem vs Karson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kariem
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kariem: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1975)
Similar record span (~53 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, 1972–2025 (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 Kariem 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.