Total births
1,505
Unisex name · since 1950
Ky
Ky has 1,505 recorded births since 1950 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1992 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4229
- among boys today
- 1,505
- born since 1950
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Ky is the #4229 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 1,505 recorded since 1950.
Social Security Administration records show Ky recorded 1,505 times among boys since 1950, holding rank #4229 nationally today, ahead of 70% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1950 to 2025.
- #4229 among boys today
- 1,505 born since 1950
- 1990s peak decade
- 70% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ky is currently the #4229 unisex name in America, more common than 70% of boys - 1,505 born since 1950, peaking in the 1990s.
- #4229
- among boys today
- 1,505
- born since 1950
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Ky vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4229
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 70% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Ky was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
42 babies were named Ky in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
How Ky compares
1,505 Top 25% higher than 75% 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
Ky's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ky | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,505 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 42 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ky's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ky splits its recorded history at 1992: 63% of all births land in the more recent half, 37% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1950 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1992 peak of 42 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ky at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1992
Current rank
#4,229
Active since
1950
Ky popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 42
- Annual births at peak, across 76 years of records
Ky popularity over time - girls
154 total births recorded since 1969 (Ky as girls' name)
Ky by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Ky's strongest decade.
298 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Ky births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 30
1950s
30 births
- 1960s 65
1960s
65 births
- 1970s
1970s
150 births
- 1980s
1980s
244 births
- 1990s
1990s
298 births
- 2000s
2000s
269 births
- 2010s
2010s
270 births
- 2020s
2020s
179 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 298 births (20% of all-time use).
How Ky 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 Ky's total volume
Ky vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ky by state
Where Ky concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 91 | 6.0% |
| #2 | California | | 52 | 3.5% |
| #3 | Oklahoma | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.3% |
Texas share of Ky's total US births 6.0%
Even split
91 of 1,505 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ky? ▼
Ky has been given to 1,505 babies in the U.S. since 1950, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4229 as of the latest data. 42 babies were born in 1992, its single highest year.
When was Ky most popular? ▼
Ky was most popular in the 1990s decade with 298 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Ky most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ky are Texas (91 births), California (52 births), Oklahoma (6 births).
Is Ky a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ky is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,505 births, and as a girl's name it has 154 births.
How long has the name Ky been used? ▼
Records for Ky go back to 1950, giving 76 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ky? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kyle, Kyler, Kyrie, Kylan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ky's data
- Ky's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (298 total births) through the 2020s (179) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Kys (91 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 Ky
Nearby Names Like Ky
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ky
Kyle Boy
#439 485,780 births
Kyler Boy
#357 38,973 births
Kyrie Boy
#235 18,612 births
Kylan Boy
#535 10,734 births
Kyson Boy
#465 9,961 births
Compare Ky side by side: Ky vs Kyle Ky vs Kyler Ky vs Kyrie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ky
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, 1950–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ky: #4229 Unisex Name - 1,505 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ky. 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 Ky 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.