Total births
10,185
Unisex name · since 1916
Memphis
10,185 babies named Memphis in U.S. Social Security records since 1916, with the highest year being 2021. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #587
- among boys today
- 10,185
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
10,185 babies have been named Memphis since 1916, making it today's #587 unisex name.
Memphis has 10,185 recorded births among boys since 1916, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #587 as of the latest data, more common than 96% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #587 among boys today
- 10,185 born since 1916
- 2010s peak decade
- 96% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Memphis is currently the #587 unisex name in America, more common than 96% of boys - 10,185 born since 1916, peaking in the 2010s.
- #587
- among boys today
- 10,185
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
Memphis vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#587
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 96% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Memphis was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
768 babies were named Memphis in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Memphis compares
10,185 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
Memphis's all-time total is 28x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Memphis | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 10,185 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 768 | 23 | 22,252 |
Memphis's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Memphis's SSA record in two at 2005 and the more recent half accounts for 94% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 6%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1920, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 768, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Memphis at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#587
Active since
1916
Memphis popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 768
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Memphis popularity over time - girls
2,550 total births recorded since 1915 (Memphis as girls' name)
Memphis by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Memphis's strongest decade.
4,458 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Memphis births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 16
1910s
16 births
- 1920s 47
1920s
47 births
- 1930s 12
1930s
12 births
- 1940s 17
1940s
17 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,966 births
- 2010s
2010s
4,458 births
- 2020s
2020s
3,664 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 4,458 births (44% of all-time use).
How Memphis 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 Memphis's total volume
Memphis vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Memphis by state
Where Memphis concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 931 | 9.1% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 523 | 5.1% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 511 | 5.0% |
| #4 | California | | 496 | 4.9% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 475 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 448 | 4.4% |
| #7 | Florida | | 408 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 397 | 3.9% |
Texas share of Memphis's total US births 9.1%
Even split
931 of 10,185 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 44 reporting states.
Memphis appears in 44 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Memphis? ▼
Memphis has been given to 10,185 babies in the U.S. since 1916, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #587 as of the latest data. 768 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Memphis most popular? ▼
Memphis was most popular in the 2010s decade with 4,458 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Memphis most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Memphis are Texas (931 births), Ohio (523 births), North Carolina (511 births).
Is Memphis a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Memphis is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 10,185 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,550 births.
How long has the name Memphis been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Memphis since 1916 -- 110 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Memphis? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Memphys, Memory. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Memphis's data
- Memphis's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (4,458 total births) through the 2020s (3,664) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Memphiss (931 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Memphis
Nearby Names Like Memphis
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Memphis
Compare Memphis side by side: Memphis vs Memphys Memphis vs Memory
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Memphis
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Memphis: #587 Unisex Name - 10,185 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/memphis. 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 Memphis 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 July 2026.