Total births
27,064
Boys' name · since 1973
Messiah
Since 1973, U.S. Social Security records show 27,064 babies named Messiah, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #203
- among boys today
- 27,064
- born since 1973
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
27,064 babies have been named Messiah since 1973, making it today's #203 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Messiah has been recorded 27,064 times among boys since 1973, currently ranked #203 nationally and more common than 99% of boys, 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 1973 to 2025.
- #203 among boys today
- 27,064 born since 1973
- 2010s peak decade
- 99% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Messiah is currently the #203 boys' name in America, more common than 99% of boys - 27,064 born since 1973, peaking in the 2010s.
- #203
- among boys today
- 27,064
- born since 1973
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
Messiah vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#203
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
48% of everyone ever named Messiah was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
2,231 babies were named Messiah in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Messiah compares
27,064 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
Messiah's all-time total is 74x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Messiah | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 27,064 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 2,231 | 23 | 22,252 |
Messiah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Messiah's SSA record in two at 2001 and the more recent half accounts for 98% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 2%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1973, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 2,231, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Messiah at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#203
Active since
1973
Messiah popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1973–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 2,231
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Messiah popularity over time - girls
1,036 total births recorded since 1994 (Messiah as girls' name)
Messiah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Messiah's strongest decade.
13,008 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Messiah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 41
1970s
41 births
- 1980s 52
1980s
52 births
- 1990s 297
1990s
297 births
- 2000s 2,049
2000s
2,049 births
- 2010s
2010s
13,008 births
- 2020s
2020s
11,617 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 13,008 births (48% of all-time use).
How Messiah 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 Messiah's total volume
Messiah vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Messiah by state
Where Messiah concentrates geographically, total births since 1973
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 2,585 | 9.6% |
| #2 | Florida | | 2,205 | 8.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 2,117 | 7.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 2,002 | 7.4% |
| #5 | California | | 1,688 | 6.2% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 1,441 | 5.3% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 1,304 | 4.8% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 936 | 3.5% |
Texas share of Messiah's total US births 9.6%
Even split
2,585 of 27,064 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 42 reporting states.
Messiah appears in 42 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Messiah? ▼
Since 1973, Social Security records show 27,064 babies named Messiah. Today it holds rank #203 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 2,231 births.
When was Messiah most popular? ▼
Messiah was most popular in the 2010s decade with 13,008 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Messiah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Messiah are Texas (2,585 births), Florida (2,205 births), Georgia (2,117 births).
How long has the name Messiah been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Messiah since 1973 -- 53 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Messiah? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Meshach, Mesiah, Messi, Meshilem, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Messiah's data
- Messiah's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (13,008 total births) through the 2020s (11,617) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Messiahs (2,585 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 Messiah
Nearby Names Like Messiah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Messiah
Meshach Boy
#6283 572 births
Mesiah Boy
#4667 502 births
Messi Boy
#11730 207 births
Meshilem Boy
#6776 165 births
Messiyah Boy
#11731 149 births
Compare Messiah side by side: Messiah vs Meshach Messiah vs Mesiah Messiah vs Messi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Messiah
Zayden #202
32,246 births · Peak 2014
Abraham #204
103,967 births · Peak 2016
Bentley #201
60,027 births · Peak 2012
Alex #205
286,169 births · Peak 1993
Tucker #200
55,150 births · Peak 2014
Timothy #206
1,084,192 births · Peak 1959
Justin #199
790,469 births · Peak 1988
Adonis #207
21,593 births · Peak 2023
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, 1973–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Messiah: #203 Boys' Name - 27,064 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/messiah. 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 Messiah 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.