Total births
5,939
Unisex name · since 1882
Loyal
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 5,939 babies named Loyal, peaking in 2022. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #878
- among boys today
- 5,939
- born since 1882
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
5,939 babies have been named Loyal since 1882, making it today's #878 unisex name.
Loyal has 5,939 recorded births among boys since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #878 as of the latest data, more common than 94% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #878 among boys today
- 5,939 born since 1882
- 2020s peak decade
- 94% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Loyal is currently the #878 unisex name in America, more common than 94% of boys - 5,939 born since 1882, peaking in the 2020s.
- #878
- among boys today
- 5,939
- born since 1882
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
Loyal vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#878
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 94% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Loyal was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
377 babies were named Loyal in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Loyal compares
5,939 Top 11% higher than 89% 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
Loyal's all-time total is 16x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Loyal | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,939 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 377 | 23 | 22,252 |
Loyal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Loyal's SSA record in two at 1956 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2022 peak of 377, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Loyal at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2022
Current rank
#878
Active since
1882
Loyal popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 377
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Loyal popularity over time - girls
500 total births recorded since 1916 (Loyal as girls' name)
Loyal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Loyal's strongest decade.
1,767 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Loyal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 77
1890s
77 births
- 1900s 114
1900s
114 births
- 1910s 614
1910s
614 births
- 1920s
1920s
851 births
- 1930s 594
1930s
594 births
- 1940s 502
1940s
502 births
- 1950s 254
1950s
254 births
- 1960s 206
1960s
206 births
- 1970s 97
1970s
97 births
- 1980s 76
1980s
76 births
- 1990s 43
1990s
43 births
- 2000s 155
2000s
155 births
- 2010s 584
2010s
584 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,767 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,767 births (30% of all-time use).
How Loyal 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 Loyal's total volume
Loyal vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Loyal by state
Where Loyal concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 220 | 3.7% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 187 | 3.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 187 | 3.1% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 156 | 2.6% |
| #5 | California | | 149 | 2.5% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 137 | 2.3% |
| #7 | New York | | 131 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Florida | | 125 | 2.1% |
Illinois share of Loyal's total US births 3.7%
Even split
220 of 5,939 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 37 reporting states.
Loyal appears in 37 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Loyal? ▼
Loyal has been given to 5,939 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #878 as of the latest data. 377 babies were born in 2022, its single highest year.
When was Loyal most popular? ▼
Loyal was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,767 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Loyal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Loyal are Illinois (220 births), Georgia (187 births), Texas (187 births).
Is Loyal a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Loyal is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 5,939 births, and as a girl's name it has 500 births.
How long has the name Loyal been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Loyal since 1882 -- 144 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Loyal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Loyd, Loy, Loyce, Loyde, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Loyal's data
- Illinois records the most Loyals (220 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Loyal
Nearby Names Like Loyal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Loyal
Loyd Boy
#9899 22,436 births
Loy Boy
4,111 births
Loyce Boy
775 births
Loyde Boy
575 births
Loye Boy
448 births
Compare Loyal side by side: Loyal vs Loyd Loyal vs Loy Loyal vs Loyce
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Loyal
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Loyal: #878 Unisex Name - 5,939 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/loyal. 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 Loyal 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.