Total births
1,617
Girls' name · since 1969
Niamh
1,617 babies named Niamh in U.S. Social Security records since 1969, with the highest year being 2008. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #3145
- among girls today
- 1,617
- born since 1969
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Niamh is the #3145 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 1,617 recorded since 1969.
Social Security Administration records show Niamh recorded 1,617 times among girls since 1969, holding rank #3145 nationally today, ahead of 82% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1969 to 2025.
- #3145 among girls today
- 1,617 born since 1969
- 2000s peak decade
- 82% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Niamh is currently the #3145 girls' name in America, more common than 82% of girls - 1,617 born since 1969, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3145
- among girls today
- 1,617
- born since 1969
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other girls
Niamh vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3145
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 82% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Niamh was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
74 babies were named Niamh in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Niamh compares
1,617 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
Niamh's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Niamh | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,617 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 74 | 48 | 19,840 |
Niamh's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Niamh's full recorded timeline at 2006, 58% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 42% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1969, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2008 peak of 74 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Niamh at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#3,145
Active since
1969
Niamh popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1969–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 74
- Annual births at peak, across 57 years of records
Niamh by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Niamh's strongest decade.
636 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Niamh births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s
1990s
267 births
- 2000s
2000s
636 births
- 2010s
2010s
447 births
- 2020s 232
2020s
232 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 636 births (39% of all-time use).
How Niamh 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 Niamh's total volume
Niamh vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Niamh by state
Where Niamh concentrates geographically, total births since 1969
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 285 | 17.6% |
| #2 | Massachusetts | | 209 | 12.9% |
| #3 | California | | 122 | 7.5% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 63 | 3.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 27 | 1.7% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Colorado | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Texas | | 6 | 0.4% |
New York share of Niamh's total US births 17.6%
Even split
285 of 1,617 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Niamh? ▼
Niamh has been given to 1,617 babies in the U.S. since 1969, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3145 as of the latest data. 74 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Niamh most popular? ▼
Niamh was most popular in the 2000s decade with 636 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Niamh most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Niamh are New York (285 births), Massachusetts (209 births), California (122 births).
How long has the name Niamh been used? ▼
Records for Niamh go back to 1969, giving 57 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Niamh? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nia, Niah, Niara, Niasia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Niamh's data
- Niamh's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (636 total births) through the 2020s (232) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Niamhs (285 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Niamh
Nearby Names Like Niamh
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Niamh
Nia Girl
#672 25,422 births
Niah Girl
#3097 1,741 births
Niara Girl
#3726 1,196 births
Niasia Girl
#13899 884 births
Niang Girl
#7185 335 births
Compare Niamh side by side: Niamh vs Nia Niamh vs Niah Niamh vs Niara
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Niamh
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, 1969–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Niamh: #3145 Girls' Name - 1,617 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/niamh. 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 Niamh 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.