Boys' name · since 1915

Pershing

Pershing has 599 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#7,080 of 45,481
all-time among boys
599
born since 1915
1910s
peak decade

Pershing is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 599 have been recorded since 1915.

Pershing has 599 recorded births among boys since 1915, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 1964.

  • #7,080 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 599 born since 1915
  • 1910s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pershing ranks #7,080 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 599 born since 1915, peaking in the 1910s.

#7,080 of 45,481
all-time among boys
599
born since 1915
1910s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Pershing's 599 recorded births place it above 84.42% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

29 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

29 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.

Pershing's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Pershing's SSA record in two at 1940 and the more recent half accounts for 12% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 88%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1924, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 295, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Pershing popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–1964

Last recorded 1964
Peak year (1918)
295
Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
0100200300400 19151919192219261943194619501964 6

Pershing by decade

1910s is the heaviest window (461 births, 77% of the file).

1910s was Pershing's strongest decade.

461 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 77% of all-time use.

Pershing births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1910s at 461 births (77% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Pershing compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Pershing's total volume

Pershing vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%20%40%60% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -36, 7.5%-109, 3.5%-53, 4%-51, 5.3%-17, 11.7%-7, 22.4%-28, 8.7%-13, 17.2%-31, 7.9%-40, 4.8%-25, 8.7%-54, 4.7%-33, 7.7%-55, 5.2%-115, 6.2%Pershing-50, 49.2%Pershing
Pershing vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Pershing by state

Where Pershing concentrates geographically, total births since 1915

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Pershing
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Louisiana
48 8.0%
#2 Texas
28 4.7%
#3 Pennsylvania
25 4.2%
#4 Missouri
18 3.0%
#5 Minnesota
15 2.5%
#6 Oklahoma
15 2.5%
#7 Illinois
14 2.3%
#8 Kentucky
13 2.2%
Louisiana share of Pershing's total US births 8.0%
Even split

48 of 599 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 29 reporting states.

Pershing appears in 29 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Pershing?
Pershing has been given to 599 babies in the U.S. since 1915, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #7,080 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 1964. 295 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
Where does Pershing sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pershing ranks #7,080 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Pershing most popular?
Pershing was most popular in the 1910s decade with 461 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Pershing most popular?
The top states for the name Pershing are Louisiana (48 births), Texas (28 births), Pennsylvania (25 births).
How long has the name Pershing been used?
Pershing has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 50 years of data through 1964.
What names are similar to Pershing?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Perry, Percy, Pernell, Perrin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Pershing's data

  • Pershing's decade-level peak was the 1910s (461 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Louisiana records the most Pershings (48 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Pershing

Nearby Names Like Pershing

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pershing

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Pershing: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1915–1964 (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 Pershing 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.