Unisex name · since 1986

Ku

Since 1986, U.S. Social Security records show 33 babies named Ku, peaking in 1989. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

33
total births
1986–2018
years on record
2010s
peak decade
48%
born in that decade

Ku sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 33 recorded since 1986.

Social Security Administration records show Ku recorded 33 times among boys since 1986, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, 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 1986 to 2018.

  • 33 total births
  • 1986–2018 years on record
  • 2010s peak decade
  • 48% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Ku's 33 recorded births place it above 44% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

1 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.

Ku's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Ku's full recorded timeline at 2014, 48% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 52% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1986, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1989 peak of 7 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Ku popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1986–2018

Last recorded 2018
Peak year (1989)
7
Annual births at peak, across 33 years of records
4.555.566.577.5 198619891990201420152018 6

Ku popularity over time - girls

6 total births recorded since 2015 (Ku as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 6 births
6 2015 6

Ku by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

2010s was Ku's strongest decade.

16 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.

Ku births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 2010s at 16 births (48% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

Ku by state

Where Ku concentrates geographically, total births since 1986

Geographically diffuse
Top 1 states by recorded births for the name Ku
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 California
5 15.2%
California share of Ku's total US births 15.2%

5 of 33 births nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Ku? ▼
33 babies have been named Ku since 1986. It was last recorded in 2018. The peak year was 1989 with 7 births.
When was Ku most popular? ▼
Ku was most popular in the 2010s decade with 16 total births. The single peak year was 1989.
Where is Ku most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ku are California (5 births).
Is Ku a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ku is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 33 births, and as a girl's name it has 6 births.
How long has the name Ku been used? ▼
Records for Ku go back to 1986, giving 33 years of history through 2018.
What names are similar to Ku? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kurt, Kurtis, Kunal, Kush, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Ku's data

  • California records the most Kus (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 Ku

Nearby Names Like Ku

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ku

Kurt Boy
#2103 85,858 births
Kurtis Boy
#3808 18,138 births
Kunal Boy
1,259 births
Kush Boy
#4637 1,221 births
Kullen Boy
#5150 790 births

Compare Ku side by side: Ku vs Kurt Ku vs Kurtis Ku vs Kunal

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Nute
33 births · Peak 1915
Nesbitt
33 births · Peak 1930
Garvice
33 births · Peak 1913
Arza
33 births · Peak 1928
Ollice
33 births · Peak 1914
Delphine
33 births · Peak 1929
Toxie
33 births · Peak 1915
Weikko
33 births · Peak 1917

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, 1986–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac. "Ku: Baby Name Since 1986 - 33 Births, Peak 1989." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ku. 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 Ku 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.