Total births
2,696
Boys' name · since 1880
Ludwig
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,696 babies named Ludwig, peaking in 1916. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7771
- among boys today
- 2,696
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other boys
Ludwig currently ranks #7771 among boys' names in America, with 2,696 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ludwig has been recorded 2,696 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #7771 nationally and more common than 46% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #7771 among boys today
- 2,696 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
- 46% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ludwig is currently the #7771 boys' name in America, more common than 46% of boys - 2,696 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #7771
- among boys today
- 2,696
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 46%
- more common than other boys
Ludwig vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7771
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 46% of names given to boys today.
1910s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Ludwig was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
88 babies were named Ludwig in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
How Ludwig compares
2,696 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
Ludwig's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ludwig | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,696 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 88 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ludwig's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ludwig splits its recorded history at 1952: 27% of all births land in the more recent half, 73% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1887 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1916 peak of 88 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ludwig at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1916
Current rank
#7,771
Active since
1880
Ludwig popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1916)
- 88
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ludwig by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Ludwig's strongest decade.
555 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Ludwig births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 67
1880s
67 births
- 1890s 108
1890s
108 births
- 1900s 105
1900s
105 births
- 1910s
1910s
555 births
- 1920s
1920s
524 births
- 1930s
1930s
381 births
- 1940s 198
1940s
198 births
- 1950s 175
1950s
175 births
- 1960s 134
1960s
134 births
- 1970s 75
1970s
75 births
- 1980s 82
1980s
82 births
- 1990s 79
1990s
79 births
- 2000s 71
2000s
71 births
- 2010s 81
2010s
81 births
- 2020s 61
2020s
61 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 555 births (21% of all-time use).
How Ludwig 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 Ludwig's total volume
Ludwig vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ludwig by state
Where Ludwig concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 400 | 14.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 179 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Minnesota | | 66 | 2.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 58 | 2.2% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 56 | 2.1% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 29 | 1.1% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 28 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Texas | | 17 | 0.6% |
New York share of Ludwig's total US births 14.8%
Even split
400 of 2,696 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Ludwig appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ludwig? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 2,696 babies named Ludwig. Today it holds rank #7771 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1916, with 88 births.
When was Ludwig most popular? ▼
Ludwig was most popular in the 1910s decade with 555 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Ludwig most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ludwig are New York (400 births), Pennsylvania (179 births), Minnesota (66 births).
How long has the name Ludwig been used? ▼
Ludwig has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ludwig? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ludie, Ludwin, Ludger, Ludovic, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ludwig's data
- Ludwig's decade-level peak was the 1910s (555 total births); usage has since declined to 61 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Ludwigs (400 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Ludwig
Nearby Names Like Ludwig
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ludwig
Ludie Boy
270 births
Ludwin Boy
#11318 196 births
Ludger Boy
179 births
Ludovic Boy
49 births
Ludovico Boy
#10745 47 births
Compare Ludwig side by side: Ludwig vs Ludie Ludwig vs Ludwin Ludwig vs Ludger
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ludwig
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. "Ludwig: #7771 Boys' Name - 2,696 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ludwig. 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 Ludwig 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.