Total births
599
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.
- 599
- total births
- 1915–1964
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 77%
- born in that 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.
- 599 total births
- 1915–1964 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 77% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
599 boys have been named Pershing since 1915, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1964.
- 599
- total births
- 1915–1964
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 77%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
77% of everyone ever named Pershing was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
295 babies were named Pershing in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1964Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Pershing popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–1964
- Peak year (1918)
- 295
- Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
Pershing by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
- 1910s
1910s
461 births
- 1920s 68
1920s
68 births
- 1940s 58
1940s
58 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 461 births (77% of all-time use).
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
Pershing by state
Where Pershing concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| 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 last appearance in the data was 1964. 295 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
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
- 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 Pershing
Nearby Names Like Pershing
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pershing
Perry Boy
#1238 76,044 births
Percy Boy
#1256 32,204 births
Pernell Boy
3,037 births
Perrin Boy
#3696 1,568 births
Percival Boy
#1768 1,466 births
Compare Pershing side by side: Pershing vs Perry Pershing vs Percy Pershing vs Pernell
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pershing: Baby Name Since 1915 - 599 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pershing. 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 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 July 2026.