Total births
5,660
Boys' name · since 1880
Mahlon
Mahlon has 5,660 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1919 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3219
- among boys today
- 5,660
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Mahlon is the #3219 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 5,660 recorded since 1880.
Mahlon has 5,660 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3219 as of the latest data, more common than 77% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #3219 among boys today
- 5,660 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 77% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mahlon is currently the #3219 boys' name in America, more common than 77% of boys - 5,660 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3219
- among boys today
- 5,660
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Mahlon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3219
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 77% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Mahlon was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
95 babies were named Mahlon in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
How Mahlon compares
5,660 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
Mahlon's all-time total is 15x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mahlon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,660 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 95 | 23 | 22,252 |
Mahlon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Mahlon's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 47% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 53%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1890, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1919 peak of 95, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Mahlon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1919
Current rank
#3,219
Active since
1880
Mahlon popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1919)
- 95
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Mahlon popularity over time - girls
23 total births recorded since 2008 (Mahlon as girls' name)
Mahlon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Mahlon's strongest decade.
825 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Mahlon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 95
1880s
95 births
- 1890s 87
1890s
87 births
- 1900s 100
1900s
100 births
- 1910s
1910s
545 births
- 1920s
1920s
825 births
- 1930s
1930s
648 births
- 1940s
1940s
568 births
- 1950s
1950s
428 births
- 1960s 296
1960s
296 births
- 1970s 280
1970s
280 births
- 1980s 286
1980s
286 births
- 1990s
1990s
379 births
- 2000s
2000s
423 births
- 2010s
2010s
436 births
- 2020s 264
2020s
264 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 825 births (15% of all-time use).
How Mahlon 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 Mahlon's total volume
Mahlon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Mahlon by state
Where Mahlon concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 1,164 | 20.6% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 266 | 4.7% |
| #3 | Indiana | | 141 | 2.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 126 | 2.2% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 31 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Iowa | | 26 | 0.5% |
| #7 | California | | 25 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 23 | 0.4% |
Pennsylvania share of Mahlon's total US births 20.6%
Even split
1,164 of 5,660 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Mahlon appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mahlon? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 5,660 babies named Mahlon. Today it holds rank #3219 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1919, with 95 births.
When was Mahlon most popular? ▼
Mahlon was most popular in the 1920s decade with 825 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Mahlon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mahlon are Pennsylvania (1,164 births), Ohio (266 births), Indiana (141 births).
How long has the name Mahlon been used? ▼
Records for Mahlon go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Mahlon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mahmoud, Mahdi, Mahir, Maher, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Mahlon's data
- Mahlon's decade-level peak was the 1920s (825 total births); usage has since declined to 264 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Mahlons (1,164 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 Mahlon
Nearby Names Like Mahlon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mahlon
Mahmoud Boy
#2297 2,739 births
Mahdi Boy
#1603 2,398 births
Mahir Boy
#1485 1,658 births
Maher Boy
#3918 1,156 births
Mahki Boy
#5364 1,030 births
Compare Mahlon side by side: Mahlon vs Mahmoud Mahlon vs Mahdi Mahlon vs Mahir
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mahlon
Enos #3218
3,991 births · Peak 1921
Wellington #3220
2,879 births · Peak 1922
Stuart #3217
68,876 births · Peak 1960
Elie #3221
3,015 births · Peak 2009
Arch #3216
2,572 births · Peak 1880
Burke #3222
4,118 births · Peak 2013
Jahmyr #3215
118 births · Peak 2025
Florian #3223
3,691 births · Peak 1921
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. "Mahlon: #3219 Boys' Name - 5,660 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mahlon. 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 Mahlon 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.