Unisex name · since 1985
Kestrel
Kestrel has 312 recorded births since 1985 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2019 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #15,567 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #6,966 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 312
- born since 1985
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Kestrel is the #6966 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 312 recorded since 1985.
Social Security Administration records show Kestrel recorded 312 times among girls since 1985, holding rank #6966 nationally today, ahead of 60% of girls, 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 1985 to 2025.
- #15,567 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- #6,966 of 17,297 2025 SSA year
- 312 born since 1985
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kestrel ranks #15,567 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #6,966 of 17,297 among girls' names in 2025. 312 born since 1985, peaking in the 2010s.
- #15,567 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #6,966 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 312
- born since 1985
- 2010s
- peak decade
Kestrel's 312 recorded births place it above 78.45% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Kestrel compares
312 46th percentile among 17,297 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Kestrel's all-time total is 17% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kestrel | Median girls name (Kyann) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 312 | 376 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 21 | 19,840 |
Kestrel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kestrel splits its recorded history at 2009: 65% of all births land in the more recent half, 35% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1986 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2019 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kestrel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1985–2025
- Peak year (2019)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 41 years of records
Kestrel popularity over time - boys
27 total births recorded since 2012 (Kestrel as boys' name)
Kestrel by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (115 births, 37% of the file).
2010s was Kestrel's strongest decade.
115 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Kestrel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
- 1990s 43
1990s
43 births
- 2000s
2000s
63 births
- 2010s
2010s
115 births
- 2020s
2020s
80 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 115 births (37% of all-time use).
Kestrel by state
Where Kestrel concentrates geographically, total births since 1985
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.6% |
5 of 312 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Kestrel's data
- Kestrel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (115 total births) through the 2020s (80) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kestrels (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kestrel
Nearby Names Like Kestrel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kestrel
Compare Kestrel side by side: Kestrel vs Keshia Kestrel vs Kesha Kestrel vs Kesia
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kestrel
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kestrel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2019)
Similar record span (~40 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, 1985–2025 (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 Kestrel 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.