Girls' name · since 1911
Modest
Modest has 65 recorded births since 1911 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #31,987 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 65
- born since 1911
- 1910s
- peak decade
65 girls have been named Modest since 1911, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Modest has been recorded 65 times among girls since 1911, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1911 to 1927.
- #31,987 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 65 born since 1911
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Modest ranks #31,987 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 65 born since 1911, peaking in the 1910s.
- #31,987 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 65
- born since 1911
- 1910s
- peak decade
Modest's 65 recorded births place it above 55.7% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Modest's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Modest's SSA record in two at 1918 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1914, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Modest popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–1927
- Peak year (1921)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 17 years of records
Modest by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (38 births, 58% of the file).
1910s was Modest's strongest decade.
38 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Modest births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
38 births
- 1920s
1920s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 38 births (58% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Modest? ▼
Where does Modest sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Modest most popular? ▼
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What to do with Modest's data
- Modest's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (38 total births) through the 1920s (27) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Modest
Nearby Names Like Modest
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Modest
Compare Modest side by side: Modest vs Modesta Modest vs Modena Modest vs Modesty
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Modest: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~16 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, 1911–1927 (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 Modest 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.