Total births
1,561
Girls' name · since 1983
Nairobi
Nairobi has 1,561 recorded births since 1983 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2021 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1541
- among girls today
- 1,561
- born since 1983
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
1,561 babies have been named Nairobi since 1983, making it today's #1541 girls' name.
Nairobi has 1,561 recorded births among girls since 1983, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1541 as of the latest data, more common than 91% of girls, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1983 to 2025.
- #1541 among girls today
- 1,561 born since 1983
- 2020s peak decade
- 91% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nairobi is currently the #1541 girls' name in America, more common than 91% of girls - 1,561 born since 1983, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1541
- among girls today
- 1,561
- born since 1983
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Nairobi vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1541
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 91% of names given to girls today.
2020s
Peak decade
71% of everyone ever named Nairobi was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
242 babies were named Nairobi in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Nairobi compares
1,561 Top 25% higher than 75% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Nairobi's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nairobi | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,561 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 242 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nairobi's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nairobi's full recorded timeline at 2007, 88% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 12% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1983, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2021 peak of 242 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nairobi at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#1,541
Active since
1983
Nairobi popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1983–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 242
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Nairobi popularity over time - boys
35 total births recorded since 1971 (Nairobi as boys' name)
Nairobi by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Nairobi's strongest decade.
1,107 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 71% of all-time use.
Nairobi births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s 75
1990s
75 births
- 2000s 127
2000s
127 births
- 2010s 222
2010s
222 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,107 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,107 births (71% of all-time use).
How Nairobi 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 Nairobi's total volume
Nairobi vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nairobi by state
Where Nairobi concentrates geographically, total births since 1983
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 177 | 11.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 158 | 10.1% |
| #3 | Florida | | 97 | 6.2% |
| #4 | New York | | 96 | 6.1% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 57 | 3.7% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 53 | 3.4% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 49 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 37 | 2.4% |
California share of Nairobi's total US births 11.3%
Even split
177 of 1,561 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Nairobi appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nairobi? ▼
Nairobi has been given to 1,561 babies in the U.S. since 1983, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1541 as of the latest data. 242 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Nairobi most popular? ▼
Nairobi was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,107 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Nairobi most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nairobi are California (177 births), Texas (158 births), Florida (97 births).
How long has the name Nairobi been used? ▼
Nairobi has been recorded in Social Security data since 1983, spanning 43 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Nairobi? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nailah, Naima, Naila, Naia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nairobi's data
- California records the most Nairobis (177 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Nairobi
Nearby Names Like Nairobi
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nairobi
Nailah Girl
#1805 4,848 births
Naima Girl
#2189 4,757 births
Naila Girl
#1462 3,235 births
Naia Girl
#1850 2,228 births
Naida Girl
1,714 births
Compare Nairobi side by side: Nairobi vs Nailah Nairobi vs Naima Nairobi vs Naila
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nairobi
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, 1983–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nairobi: #1541 Girls' Name - 1,561 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nairobi. 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 Nairobi 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.