Total births
3,306
Unisex name · since 1947
Pepper
3,306 babies named Pepper in U.S. Social Security records since 1947, with the highest year being 2014. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1632
- among girls today
- 3,306
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Pepper currently ranks #1632 among unisex names in America, with 3,306 babies recorded since 1947.
Social Security Administration records show Pepper recorded 3,306 times among girls since 1947, holding rank #1632 nationally today, ahead of 91% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2025.
- #1632 among girls today
- 3,306 born since 1947
- 2010s peak decade
- 91% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Pepper is currently the #1632 unisex name in America, more common than 91% of girls - 3,306 born since 1947, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1632
- among girls today
- 3,306
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Pepper vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1632
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 91% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Pepper was born in this single decade.
2014
Single peak year
161 babies were named Pepper in 2014 - its busiest year on record.
How Pepper compares
3,306 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Pepper's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Pepper | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,306 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 161 | 48 | 19,840 |
Pepper's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Pepper's SSA record in two at 1988 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1947, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2014 peak of 161, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Pepper at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2014
Current rank
#1,632
Active since
1947
Pepper popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2025
- Peak year (2014)
- 161
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Pepper popularity over time - boys
245 total births recorded since 1937 (Pepper as boys' name)
Pepper by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Pepper's strongest decade.
1,353 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Pepper births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 45
1950s
45 births
- 1960s 138
1960s
138 births
- 1970s
1970s
552 births
- 1980s 162
1980s
162 births
- 1990s 58
1990s
58 births
- 2000s 191
2000s
191 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,353 births
- 2020s
2020s
802 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,353 births (41% of all-time use).
How Pepper 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 Pepper's total volume
Pepper vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Pepper by state
Where Pepper concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 335 | 10.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 247 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Washington | | 126 | 3.8% |
| #4 | Utah | | 106 | 3.2% |
| #5 | Florida | | 94 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 49 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Oregon | | 49 | 1.5% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 42 | 1.3% |
California share of Pepper's total US births 10.1%
Even split
335 of 3,306 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Pepper appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pepper? ▼
Pepper has been given to 3,306 babies in the U.S. since 1947, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1632 as of the latest data. 161 babies were born in 2014, its single highest year.
When was Pepper most popular? ▼
Pepper was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,353 total births. The single peak year was 2014.
Where is Pepper most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pepper are California (335 births), Texas (247 births), Washington (126 births).
Is Pepper a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Pepper is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 3,306 births, and as a boy's name it has 245 births.
How long has the name Pepper been used? ▼
Records for Pepper go back to 1947, giving 79 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Pepper? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Pepsi, Peppi. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Pepper's data
- Pepper's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,353 total births) through the 2020s (802) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Peppers (335 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 Pepper
Nearby Names Like Pepper
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pepper
Compare Pepper side by side: Pepper vs Pepsi Pepper vs Peppi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Pepper
Constance #1631
139,975 births · Peak 1950
Amia #1633
6,080 births · Peak 2014
Dolly #1630
20,592 births · Peak 1926
Liora #1634
1,683 births · Peak 2025
Nariah #1629
3,521 births · Peak 2009
Inayah #1635
1,189 births · Peak 2024
Jersey #1628
4,031 births · Peak 2010
Zya #1636
1,301 births · Peak 2022
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, 1947–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pepper: #1632 Unisex Name - 3,306 Births, Peak 2014." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pepper. 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 Pepper 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.