Total births
5,321
Girls' name · since 1941
Meg
Since 1941, U.S. Social Security records show 5,321 babies named Meg, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 5,321
- total births
- 1941–2022
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 25%
- born in that decade
5,321 girls have been named Meg since 1941, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Meg has been recorded 5,321 times among girls since 1941, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1941 to 2022.
- 5,321 total births
- 1941–2022 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 25% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
5,321 girls have been named Meg since 1941, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2022.
- 5,321
- total births
- 1941–2022
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 25%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Meg was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
196 babies were named Meg in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
Meg's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Meg splits its recorded history at 1982: 43% of all births land in the more recent half, 57% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1941 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1959 peak of 196 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Meg at a glance
Last recorded 2022Peak year
1959
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1941
Meg popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1941–2022
- Peak year (1959)
- 196
- Annual births at peak, across 82 years of records
Meg by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Meg's strongest decade.
1,343 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Meg births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 97
1940s
97 births
- 1950s
1950s
857 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,343 births
- 1970s
1970s
658 births
- 1980s 389
1980s
389 births
- 1990s
1990s
846 births
- 2000s
2000s
878 births
- 2010s 221
2010s
221 births
- 2020s 32
2020s
32 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 1,343 births (25% of all-time use).
How Meg compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Meg's total volume
Meg vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Meg by state
Where Meg concentrates geographically, total births since 1941
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 421 | 7.9% |
| #2 | California | | 312 | 5.9% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 268 | 5.0% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 217 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 186 | 3.5% |
| #6 | Utah | | 121 | 2.3% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 118 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 101 | 1.9% |
New York share of Meg's total US births 7.9%
Even split
421 of 5,321 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Meg appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meg? ▼
Since 1941, Social Security records show 5,321 babies named Meg. The most recent recorded year was 2022. Its busiest year on record was 1959, with 196 births.
When was Meg most popular? ▼
Meg was most popular in the 1960s decade with 1,343 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Meg most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Meg are New York (421 births), California (312 births), Pennsylvania (268 births).
How long has the name Meg been used? ▼
Records for Meg go back to 1941, giving 82 years of history through 2022.
What names are similar to Meg? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Megan, Meghan, Meghann, Meggan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Meg's data
- Meg's decade-level peak was the 1960s (1,343 total births); usage has since declined to 32 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Megs (421 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 Meg
Nearby Names Like Meg
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meg
Megan Girl
#764 440,065 births
Meghan Girl
#1448 96,500 births
Meghann Girl
3,788 births
Meggan Girl
2,927 births
Megha Girl
#6471 1,191 births
Compare Meg side by side: Meg vs Megan Meg vs Meghan Meg vs Meghann
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1941–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meg: Baby Name Since 1941 - 5,321 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meg. 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 Meg 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.