Total births
1,306
Boys' name · since 1898
Kemp
1,306 babies named Kemp in U.S. Social Security records since 1898, with the highest year being 1957. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5919
- among boys today
- 1,306
- born since 1898
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Kemp is the #5919 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,306 recorded since 1898.
Social Security Administration records show Kemp recorded 1,306 times among boys since 1898, holding rank #5919 nationally today, ahead of 59% of boys, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1898 to 2025.
- #5919 among boys today
- 1,306 born since 1898
- 1960s peak decade
- 59% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kemp is currently the #5919 boys' name in America, more common than 59% of boys - 1,306 born since 1898, peaking in the 1960s.
- #5919
- among boys today
- 1,306
- born since 1898
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Kemp vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5919
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 59% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Kemp was born in this single decade.
1957
Single peak year
31 babies were named Kemp in 1957 - its busiest year on record.
How Kemp compares
1,306 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Kemp's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kemp | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,306 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 31 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kemp's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kemp's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1898, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1957 peak of 31, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kemp at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1957
Current rank
#5,919
Active since
1898
Kemp popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1898–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 128 years of records
Kemp by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Kemp's strongest decade.
192 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Kemp births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
96 births
- 1920s
1920s
104 births
- 1930s
1930s
96 births
- 1940s
1940s
109 births
- 1950s
1950s
180 births
- 1960s
1960s
192 births
- 1970s
1970s
103 births
- 1980s 72
1980s
72 births
- 1990s
1990s
89 births
- 2000s
2000s
82 births
- 2010s
2010s
109 births
- 2020s 69
2020s
69 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 192 births (15% of all-time use).
How Kemp 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 Kemp's total volume
Kemp vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kemp by state
Where Kemp concentrates geographically, total births since 1898
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 54 | 4.1% |
North Carolina share of Kemp's total US births 4.1%
54 of 1,306 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kemp? ▼
Since 1898, Social Security records show 1,306 babies named Kemp. Today it holds rank #5919 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1957, with 31 births.
When was Kemp most popular? ▼
Kemp was most popular in the 1960s decade with 192 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Kemp most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kemp are North Carolina (54 births).
How long has the name Kemp been used? ▼
Kemp has been recorded in Social Security data since 1898, spanning 128 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Kemp? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kemper, Kemari, Kemarion, Kem, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kemp's data
- Kemp's usage has stayed within range of its 1960s decade-level peak (192 total births) through the 2020s (69) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- North Carolina records the most Kemps (54 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Kemp
Nearby Names Like Kemp
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kemp
Kemper Boy
#4211 1,598 births
Kemari Boy
#1994 1,585 births
Kemarion Boy
#4530 936 births
Kem Boy
680 births
Kemuel Boy
#4354 612 births
Compare Kemp side by side: Kemp vs Kemper Kemp vs Kemari Kemp vs Kemarion
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kemp
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, 1898–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kemp: #5919 Boys' Name - 1,306 Births, Peak 1957." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kemp. 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 Kemp 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.