Girls' name · since 1890
Modesta
1,615 babies named Modesta in U.S. Social Security records since 1890, with the highest year being 1926. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5,434 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,615
- born since 1890
- 1930s
- peak decade
Modesta sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,615 recorded since 1890.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Modesta has been recorded 1,615 times among girls since 1890, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1930s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1890 to 2024.
- #5,434 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,615 born since 1890
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Modesta ranks #5,434 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,615 born since 1890, peaking in the 1930s.
- #5,434 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,615
- born since 1890
- 1930s
- peak decade
Modesta's 1,615 recorded births place it above 92.48% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
Modesta's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Modesta splits its recorded history at 1955: 34% of all births land in the more recent half, 66% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1890 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1926 peak of 41 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Modesta popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1890–2024
- Peak year (1926)
- 41
- Annual births at peak, across 135 years of records
Modesta by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (279 births, 17% of the file).
1930s was Modesta's strongest decade.
279 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Modesta births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1900s 47
1900s
47 births
- 1910s
1910s
184 births
- 1920s
1920s
261 births
- 1930s
1930s
279 births
- 1940s
1940s
209 births
- 1950s
1950s
145 births
- 1960s
1960s
147 births
- 1970s
1970s
120 births
- 1980s 82
1980s
82 births
- 1990s 50
1990s
50 births
- 2000s 59
2000s
59 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 279 births (17% of all-time use).
How Modesta 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 Modesta's total volume
Modesta by state
Where Modesta concentrates geographically, total births since 1890
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 588 | 36.4% |
| #2 | California | | 22 | 1.4% |
| #3 | New Mexico | | 13 | 0.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 11 | 0.7% |
588 of 1,615 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Modesta's data
- Modesta's decade-level peak was the 1930s (279 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Modestas (588 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Modesta
Nearby Names Like Modesta
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Modesta
Compare Modesta side by side: Modesta vs Modena Modesta vs Modesty Modesta vs Modean
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Modesta: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1926)
Similar record span (~134 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, 1890–2024 (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 Modesta 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.