Boys' name · since 1914
Kern
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 744 babies named Kern, peaking in 1952. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 744
- total births
- 1914–2012
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
Kern is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 744 have been recorded since 1914.
Kern has 744 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2012.
- 744 total births
- 1914–2012 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 20% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
Kern's 744 recorded births place it above 86% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Kern's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kern splits its recorded history at 1958: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1914 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1952 peak of 21 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kern popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2012
- Peak year (1952)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 99 years of records
Kern by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Kern's strongest decade.
150 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Kern births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 39
1910s
39 births
- 1920s 53
1920s
53 births
- 1930s
1930s
66 births
- 1940s
1940s
99 births
- 1950s
1950s
150 births
- 1960s
1960s
134 births
- 1970s
1970s
83 births
- 1980s 49
1980s
49 births
- 1990s 46
1990s
46 births
- 2000s 19
2000s
19 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 150 births (20% of all-time use).
How Kern 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 Kern's total volume
Kern vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kern by state
Where Kern concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 5 | 0.7% |
5 of 744 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Kern's data
- Kern's decade-level peak was the 1950s (150 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kerns (5 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 Kern
Nearby Names Like Kern
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kern
Compare Kern side by side: Kern vs Kerry Kern vs Kermit Kern vs Kerwin
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1914–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac. "Kern: Baby Name Since 1914 - 744 Births, Peak 1952." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kern. 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 Kern 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.