Total births
1,598
Unisex name · since 1912
Kemper
1,598 babies named Kemper in U.S. Social Security records since 1912, with the highest year being 2009. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4211
- among boys today
- 1,598
- born since 1912
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
1,598 babies have been named Kemper since 1912, making it today's #4211 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Kemper recorded 1,598 times among boys since 1912, holding rank #4211 nationally today, ahead of 71% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #4211 among boys today
- 1,598 born since 1912
- 2010s peak decade
- 71% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kemper is currently the #4211 unisex name in America, more common than 71% of boys - 1,598 born since 1912, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4211
- among boys today
- 1,598
- born since 1912
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Kemper vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4211
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 71% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Kemper was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
70 babies were named Kemper in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Kemper compares
1,598 Top 24% higher than 76% 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
Kemper's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kemper | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,598 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 70 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kemper's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kemper's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 74% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 26%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1912, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2009 peak of 70, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kemper at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#4,211
Active since
1912
Kemper popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 70
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Kemper popularity over time - girls
301 total births recorded since 1999 (Kemper as girls' name)
Kemper by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Kemper's strongest decade.
452 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Kemper births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 63
1910s
63 births
- 1920s 76
1920s
76 births
- 1930s 42
1930s
42 births
- 1940s 78
1940s
78 births
- 1950s 74
1950s
74 births
- 1960s 81
1960s
81 births
- 1970s 56
1970s
56 births
- 1980s 51
1980s
51 births
- 1990s 99
1990s
99 births
- 2000s
2000s
380 births
- 2010s
2010s
452 births
- 2020s 146
2020s
146 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 452 births (28% of all-time use).
How Kemper 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 Kemper's total volume
Kemper vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kemper by state
Where Kemper concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 27 | 1.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 18 | 1.1% |
| #3 | Kansas | | 17 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 14 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Iowa | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #8 | California | | 5 | 0.3% |
Virginia share of Kemper's total US births 1.7%
Even split
27 of 1,598 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Kemper appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kemper? ▼
1,598 babies have been named Kemper since 1912. It currently ranks #4211 among boys. The peak year was 2009 with 70 births.
When was Kemper most popular? ▼
Kemper was most popular in the 2010s decade with 452 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Kemper most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kemper are Virginia (27 births), Texas (18 births), Kansas (17 births).
Is Kemper a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kemper is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,598 births, and as a girl's name it has 301 births.
How long has the name Kemper been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kemper since 1912 -- 114 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kemper? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kemari, Kemp, Kemarion, Kem, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kemper's data
- Kemper's decade-level peak was the 2010s (452 total births); usage has since declined to 146 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Kempers (27 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. 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 Kemper
Nearby Names Like Kemper
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kemper
Kemari Boy
#1994 1,585 births
Kemp Boy
#5919 1,306 births
Kemarion Boy
#4530 936 births
Kem Boy
680 births
Kemuel Boy
#4354 612 births
Compare Kemper side by side: Kemper vs Kemari Kemper vs Kemp Kemper vs Kemarion
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kemper
Orlin #4210
1,683 births · Peak 1932
Lauro #4212
2,180 births · Peak 2000
Demetrio #4209
3,064 births · Peak 1999
Quincey #4213
1,927 births · Peak 2002
Berlin #4208
1,635 births · Peak 1916
Delvin #4214
5,328 births · Peak 1978
Harden #4207
771 births · Peak 1921
Ritchie #4215
4,120 births · Peak 1964
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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kemper: #4211 Unisex Name - 1,598 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kemper. 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 Kemper 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.