Total births
482
Unisex name · since 1975
Nguyen
Nguyen has 482 recorded births since 1975 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1982 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11227
- among boys today
- 482
- born since 1975
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
482 babies have been named Nguyen since 1975, making it today's #11227 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nguyen has been recorded 482 times among boys since 1975, currently ranked #11227 nationally and more common than 21% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1975 to 2025.
- #11227 among boys today
- 482 born since 1975
- 1980s peak decade
- 21% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nguyen is currently the #11227 unisex name in America, more common than 21% of boys - 482 born since 1975, peaking in the 1980s.
- #11227
- among boys today
- 482
- born since 1975
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 21%
- more common than other boys
Nguyen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11227
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 21% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Nguyen was born in this single decade.
1982
Single peak year
19 babies were named Nguyen in 1982 - its busiest year on record.
How Nguyen compares
482 Top 44% higher than 56% 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
Nguyen's all-time total is 31% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nguyen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 482 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nguyen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nguyen's full recorded timeline at 2000, 37% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 63% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2013, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1982 peak of 19 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nguyen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1982
Current rank
#11,227
Active since
1975
Nguyen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (1982)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Nguyen popularity over time - girls
117 total births recorded since 1975 (Nguyen as girls' name)
Nguyen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Nguyen's strongest decade.
140 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Nguyen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 37
1970s
37 births
- 1980s
1980s
140 births
- 1990s
1990s
125 births
- 2000s
2000s
86 births
- 2010s
2010s
68 births
- 2020s 26
2020s
26 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 140 births (29% of all-time use).
Nguyen by state
Where Nguyen concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 61 | 12.7% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 5 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 1.0% |
California share of Nguyen's total US births 12.7%
Even split
61 of 482 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nguyen? ▼
Since 1975, Social Security records show 482 babies named Nguyen. Today it holds rank #11227 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1982, with 19 births.
When was Nguyen most popular? ▼
Nguyen was most popular in the 1980s decade with 140 total births. The single peak year was 1982.
Where is Nguyen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nguyen are California (61 births), Louisiana (5 births), Texas (5 births).
Is Nguyen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Nguyen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 482 births, and as a girl's name it has 117 births.
How long has the name Nguyen been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nguyen since 1975 -- 51 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Nguyen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ngun. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nguyen's data
- Nguyen's decade-level peak was the 1980s (140 total births); usage has since declined to 26 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nguyens (61 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 Nguyen
Nearby Names Like Nguyen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nguyen
Compare Nguyen side by side: Nguyen vs Ngun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nguyen
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, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nguyen: #11227 Unisex Name - 482 Births, Peak 1982." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nguyen. 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 Nguyen 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.