Boys' name · since 1917
Perkins
79 babies named Perkins in U.S. Social Security records since 1917, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #19,023 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 79
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
Perkins sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 79 recorded since 1917.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Perkins has been recorded 79 times among boys since 1917, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 2000.
- #19,023 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 79 born since 1917
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Perkins ranks #19,023 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 79 born since 1917, peaking in the 1920s.
- #19,023 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 79
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
Perkins's 79 recorded births place it above 58.13% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Mississippi.
Perkins's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Perkins splits its recorded history at 1929: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1920 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 10 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Perkins popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–2000
- Peak year (1921)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 84 years of records
Perkins by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (38 births, 48% of the file).
1920s was Perkins's strongest decade.
38 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Perkins births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 8
1910s
8 births
- 1920s
1920s
38 births
- 1930s 6
1930s
6 births
- 1940s
1940s
17 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 38 births (48% of all-time use).
Perkins by state
Where Perkins concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 5 | 6.3% |
5 of 79 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Perkins's data
- Perkins's decade-level peak was the 1920s (38 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Mississippi records the most Perkinss (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Mississippi names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Perkins
Nearby Names Like Perkins
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Perkins
Compare Perkins side by side: Perkins vs Perry Perkins vs Percy Perkins vs Pernell
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Perkins: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~83 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1917–2000 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Perkins 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 August 2026.