Total births
674
Girls' name · since 1975
Payal
Since 1975, U.S. Social Security records show 674 babies named Payal, peaking in 1981. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 674
- total births
- 1975–2015
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 40%
- born in that decade
674 girls have been named Payal since 1975, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Payal has been recorded 674 times among girls since 1975, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, 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 2015.
- 674 total births
- 1975–2015 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 40% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
674 girls have been named Payal since 1975, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2015.
- 674
- total births
- 1975–2015
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 40%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
40% of everyone ever named Payal was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
34 babies were named Payal in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
Payal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Payal's SSA record in two at 1992 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 2012, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1981 peak of 34, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Payal at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1981
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1975
Payal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2015
- Peak year (1981)
- 34
- Annual births at peak, across 41 years of records
Payal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Payal's strongest decade.
271 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Payal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 59
1970s
59 births
- 1980s
1980s
271 births
- 1990s
1990s
244 births
- 2000s 85
2000s
85 births
- 2010s 15
2010s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 271 births (40% of all-time use).
How Payal 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 Payal's total volume
Payal vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Payal by state
Where Payal concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey | | 101 | 15.0% |
| #2 | California | | 65 | 9.6% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 39 | 5.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 30 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Texas | | 5 | 0.7% |
New Jersey share of Payal's total US births 15.0%
Even split
101 of 674 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Payal? ▼
Payal has been given to 674 babies in the U.S. since 1975, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2015. 34 babies were born in 1981, its single highest year.
When was Payal most popular? ▼
Payal was most popular in the 1980s decade with 271 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Payal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Payal are New Jersey (101 births), California (65 births), Illinois (39 births).
How long has the name Payal been used? ▼
Payal has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 41 years of data through 2015.
What names are similar to Payal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Payton, Payten, Payson, Payge, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Payal's data
- Payal's decade-level peak was the 1980s (271 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New Jersey records the most Payals (101 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New Jersey 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 Payal
Nearby Names Like Payal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Payal
Payton Girl
#381 60,045 births
Payten Girl
#7059 3,344 births
Payson Girl
#3942 1,169 births
Payge Girl
1,124 births
Payden Girl
#10600 701 births
Compare Payal side by side: Payal vs Payton Payal vs Payten Payal vs Payson
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1975–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Payal: Baby Name Since 1975 - 674 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/payal. 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 Payal 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.