Boys' name · since 1984
Mandela
172 babies named Mandela in U.S. Social Security records since 1984, with the highest year being 1990. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #13,884 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 172
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
Mandela sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 172 recorded since 1984.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Mandela has been recorded 172 times among boys since 1984, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1984 to 2022.
- #13,884 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 172 born since 1984
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Mandela ranks #13,884 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 172 born since 1984, peaking in the 2010s.
- #13,884 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 172
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
Mandela's 172 recorded births place it above 69.44% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Mandela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Mandela splits its recorded history at 2007: 45% of all births land in the more recent half, 55% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1984 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1990 peak of 36 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Mandela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1984–2022
- Peak year (1990)
- 36
- Annual births at peak, across 39 years of records
Mandela by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (62 births, 36% of the file).
2010s was Mandela's strongest decade.
62 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Mandela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
29 births
- 1990s
1990s
59 births
- 2000s 12
2000s
12 births
- 2010s
2010s
62 births
- 2020s 10
2020s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 62 births (36% of all-time use).
Mandela by state
Where Mandela concentrates geographically, total births since 1984
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 2.9% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 5 | 2.9% |
5 of 172 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Mandela's data
- Mandela's decade-level peak was the 2010s (62 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Mandelas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Mandela
Nearby Names Like Mandela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mandela
Compare Mandela side by side: Mandela vs Manuel Mandela vs Manny Mandela vs Manley
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Mandela: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1990)
Similar record span (~38 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1984–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Mandela 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 August 2026.