Total births
59
Boys' name · since 1918
Phelps
Since 1918, U.S. Social Security records show 59 babies named Phelps, peaking in 1929. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 59
- total births
- 1918–2014
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
59 boys have been named Phelps since 1918, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Phelps has 59 recorded births among boys since 1918, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 2014.
- 59 total births
- 1918–2014 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 37% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
59 boys have been named Phelps since 1918, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2014.
- 59
- total births
- 1918–2014
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Phelps was born in this single decade.
1929
Single peak year
7 babies were named Phelps in 1929 - its busiest year on record.
Phelps's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Phelps's full recorded timeline at 1930, 53% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 47% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1920, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1929 peak of 7 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Phelps at a glance
Last recorded 2014Peak year
1929
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1918
Phelps popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–2014
- Peak year (1929)
- 7
- Annual births at peak, across 97 years of records
Phelps by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Phelps's strongest decade.
22 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Phelps births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s
1920s
22 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 2010s
2010s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 22 births (37% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Phelps? ▼
Since 1918, Social Security records show 59 babies named Phelps. The most recent recorded year was 2014. Its busiest year on record was 1929, with 7 births.
When was Phelps most popular? ▼
Phelps was most popular in the 1920s decade with 22 total births. The single peak year was 1929.
How long has the name Phelps been used? ▼
Records for Phelps go back to 1918, giving 97 years of history through 2014.
What names are similar to Phelps? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Phelan, Pheonix, Phenix, Pheng, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Phelps's data
- Phelps's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (22 total births) through the 2010s (10) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Phelps
Nearby Names Like Phelps
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Phelps
Phelan Boy
#9124 581 births
Pheonix Boy
#5555 573 births
Phenix Boy
#4391 510 births
Pheng Boy
436 births
Phelix Boy
#7845 221 births
Compare Phelps side by side: Phelps vs Phelan Phelps vs Pheonix Phelps vs Phenix
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, 1918–2014 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Phelps: Baby Name Since 1918 - 59 Births, Peak 1929." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/phelps. 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 Phelps 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.