Total births
1,476
Girls' name · since 1974
Latifah
Since 1974, U.S. Social Security records show 1,476 babies named Latifah, peaking in 1990. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15734
- among girls today
- 1,476
- born since 1974
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Latifah is the #15734 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 1,476 recorded since 1974.
Latifah has 1,476 recorded births among girls since 1974, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #15734 as of the latest data, more common than 11% of girls, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1974 to 2025.
- #15734 among girls today
- 1,476 born since 1974
- 1990s peak decade
- 11% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Latifah is currently the #15734 girls' name in America, more common than 11% of girls - 1,476 born since 1974, peaking in the 1990s.
- #15734
- among girls today
- 1,476
- born since 1974
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
Latifah vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15734
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 11% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
64% of everyone ever named Latifah was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
300 babies were named Latifah in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
How Latifah compares
1,476 Top 26% higher than 74% of 17,726 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
Latifah's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Latifah | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,476 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 300 | 48 | 19,840 |
Latifah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Latifah's SSA record in two at 1997 and the more recent half accounts for 16% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 84%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2018, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1990 peak of 300, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Latifah at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1990
Current rank
#15,734
Active since
1974
Latifah popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (1990)
- 300
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Latifah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Latifah's strongest decade.
947 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 64% of all-time use.
Latifah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 101
1970s
101 births
- 1980s 241
1980s
241 births
- 1990s
1990s
947 births
- 2000s 84
2000s
84 births
- 2010s 72
2010s
72 births
- 2020s 31
2020s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 947 births (64% of all-time use).
How Latifah compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Latifah's total volume
Latifah vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Latifah by state
Where Latifah concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 172 | 11.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 133 | 9.0% |
| #3 | New Jersey | | 104 | 7.0% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 71 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Florida | | 67 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 55 | 3.7% |
| #7 | South Carolina | | 44 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 31 | 2.1% |
Pennsylvania share of Latifah's total US births 11.7%
Even split
172 of 1,476 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Latifah appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Latifah? ▼
1,476 babies have been named Latifah since 1974. It currently ranks #15734 among girls. The peak year was 1990 with 300 births.
When was Latifah most popular? ▼
Latifah was most popular in the 1990s decade with 947 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Latifah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Latifah are Pennsylvania (172 births), New York (133 births), New Jersey (104 births).
How long has the name Latifah been used? ▼
Records for Latifah go back to 1974, giving 52 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Latifah? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Latoya, Latasha, Latonya, Latisha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Latifah's data
- Latifah's decade-level peak was the 1990s (947 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Latifahs (172 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Latifah
Nearby Names Like Latifah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Latifah
Latoya Girl
#11284 45,563 births
Latasha Girl
30,211 births
Latonya Girl
21,757 births
Latisha Girl
18,406 births
Latanya Girl
9,850 births
Compare Latifah side by side: Latifah vs Latoya Latifah vs Latasha Latifah vs Latonya
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Latifah
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, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Latifah: #15734 Girls' Name - 1,476 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/latifah. 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 Latifah 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.