Total births
104,918
Boys' name · since 1880
Lincoln
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 104,918 babies named Lincoln, peaking in 2017. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #73
- among boys today
- 104,918
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
Lincoln currently ranks #73 among boys' names in America, with 104,918 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Lincoln recorded 104,918 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #73 nationally today, ahead of 99.5% of boys, 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 1880 to 2025.
- #73 among boys today
- 104,918 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 99.5% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lincoln is currently the #73 boys' name in America, more common than 99.5% of boys - 104,918 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #73
- among boys today
- 104,918
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
Lincoln vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#73
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.5% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Lincoln was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
8,202 babies were named Lincoln in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Lincoln compares
104,918 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Lincoln's all-time total is 286x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lincoln | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 104,918 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 8,202 | 23 | 22,252 |
Lincoln's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lincoln's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 96% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 4%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 8,202, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lincoln at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
2017
Current rank
#73
Active since
1880
Lincoln popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 8,202
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Lincoln popularity over time - girls
2,050 total births recorded since 1985 (Lincoln as girls' name)
Lincoln by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Lincoln's strongest decade.
52,017 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Lincoln births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 94
1880s
94 births
- 1890s 141
1890s
141 births
- 1900s 176
1900s
176 births
- 1910s 905
1910s
905 births
- 1920s 1,302
1920s
1,302 births
- 1930s 852
1930s
852 births
- 1940s 845
1940s
845 births
- 1950s 818
1950s
818 births
- 1960s 1,260
1960s
1,260 births
- 1970s 1,318
1970s
1,318 births
- 1980s 1,158
1980s
1,158 births
- 1990s 1,693
1990s
1,693 births
- 2000s 8,804
2000s
8,804 births
- 2010s
2010s
52,017 births
- 2020s
2020s
33,535 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 52,017 births (50% of all-time use).
How Lincoln 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 Lincoln's total volume
Lincoln vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Lincoln by state
Where Lincoln concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 7,192 | 6.9% |
| #2 | California | | 6,969 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 6,169 | 5.9% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 4,322 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 4,277 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Florida | | 3,944 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 3,827 | 3.6% |
| #8 | New York | | 3,709 | 3.5% |
Texas share of Lincoln's total US births 6.9%
Even split
7,192 of 104,918 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Lincoln appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lincoln? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 104,918 babies named Lincoln. Today it holds rank #73 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2017, with 8,202 births.
When was Lincoln most popular? ▼
Lincoln was most popular in the 2010s decade with 52,017 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Lincoln most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lincoln are Texas (7,192 births), California (6,969 births), Ohio (6,169 births).
How long has the name Lincoln been used? ▼
Records for Lincoln go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Lincoln? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Linwood, Lindsey, Linus, Lindsay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Lincoln's data
- Lincoln's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (52,017 total births) through the 2020s (33,535) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Lincolns (7,192 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 Lincoln
Nearby Names Like Lincoln
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lincoln
Linwood Boy
#6838 12,776 births
Lindsey Boy
#9901 7,735 births
Linus Boy
#1423 5,342 births
Lindsay Boy
5,136 births
Lino Boy
#2158 4,188 births
Compare Lincoln side by side: Lincoln vs Linwood Lincoln vs Lindsey Lincoln vs Linus
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lincoln
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lincoln: #73 Boys' Name - 104,918 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lincoln. 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 Lincoln 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.