Total births
14,532
Unisex name · since 1881
Kirby
Kirby has 14,532 recorded births since 1881 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1957 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2562
- among boys today
- 14,532
- born since 1881
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
14,532 babies have been named Kirby since 1881, making it today's #2562 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Kirby recorded 14,532 times among boys since 1881, holding rank #2562 nationally today, ahead of 82% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #2562 among boys today
- 14,532 born since 1881
- 1950s peak decade
- 82% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kirby is currently the #2562 unisex name in America, more common than 82% of boys - 14,532 born since 1881, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2562
- among boys today
- 14,532
- born since 1881
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
Kirby vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2562
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 82% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Kirby was born in this single decade.
1957
Single peak year
357 babies were named Kirby in 1957 - its busiest year on record.
How Kirby compares
14,532 Top 7% higher than 93% 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
Kirby's all-time total is 40x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kirby | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 14,532 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 357 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kirby's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kirby splits its recorded history at 1954: 69% of all births land in the more recent half, 31% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1881 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1957 peak of 357 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kirby at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1957
Current rank
#2,562
Active since
1881
Kirby popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 357
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Kirby popularity over time - girls
3,963 total births recorded since 1917 (Kirby as girls' name)
Kirby by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Kirby's strongest decade.
3,009 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Kirby births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 56
1880s
56 births
- 1890s 93
1890s
93 births
- 1900s 88
1900s
88 births
- 1910s 403
1910s
403 births
- 1920s 620
1920s
620 births
- 1930s 731
1930s
731 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,509 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,009 births
- 1960s
1960s
2,351 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,589 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,338 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,408 births
- 2000s 596
2000s
596 births
- 2010s 471
2010s
471 births
- 2020s 270
2020s
270 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 3,009 births (21% of all-time use).
How Kirby 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 Kirby's total volume
Kirby vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kirby by state
Where Kirby concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,383 | 9.5% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 746 | 5.1% |
| #3 | California | | 686 | 4.7% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 590 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 456 | 3.1% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 412 | 2.8% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 384 | 2.6% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 328 | 2.3% |
Texas share of Kirby's total US births 9.5%
Even split
1,383 of 14,532 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 43 reporting states.
Kirby appears in 43 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kirby? ▼
Kirby has been given to 14,532 babies in the U.S. since 1881, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2562 as of the latest data. 357 babies were born in 1957, its single highest year.
When was Kirby most popular? ▼
Kirby was most popular in the 1950s decade with 3,009 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Kirby most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kirby are Texas (1,383 births), Louisiana (746 births), California (686 births).
Is Kirby a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kirby is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 14,532 births, and as a girl's name it has 3,963 births.
How long has the name Kirby been used? ▼
Records for Kirby go back to 1881, giving 145 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kirby? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kirk, Kirt, Kiran, Kirkland, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kirby's data
- Kirby's decade-level peak was the 1950s (3,009 total births); usage has since declined to 270 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Kirbys (1,383 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Kirby
Nearby Names Like Kirby
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kirby
Kirk Boy
#2560 68,067 births
Kirt Boy
3,615 births
Kiran Boy
#1347 3,165 births
Kirkland Boy
#7818 2,160 births
Kirin Boy
#3139 570 births
Compare Kirby side by side: Kirby vs Kirk Kirby vs Kirt Kirby vs Kiran
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kirby
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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kirby: #2562 Unisex Name - 14,532 Births, Peak 1957." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kirby. 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 Kirby 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.