Total births
1,260
Boys' name · since 1904
Prentis
1,260 babies named Prentis in U.S. Social Security records since 1904, with the highest year being 1942. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 1,260
- total births
- 1904–2021
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 15%
- born in that decade
Prentis sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,260 recorded since 1904.
Social Security Administration records show Prentis recorded 1,260 times among boys since 1904, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 2021.
- 1,260 total births
- 1904–2021 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 15% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,260 boys have been named Prentis since 1904, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 2021.
- 1,260
- total births
- 1904–2021
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 15%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Prentis was born in this single decade.
1942
Single peak year
27 babies were named Prentis in 1942 - its busiest year on record.
Prentis's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Prentis splits its recorded history at 1955: 43% of all births land in the more recent half, 57% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1904 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1942 peak of 27 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Prentis at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1942
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1904
Prentis popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–2021
- Peak year (1942)
- 27
- Annual births at peak, across 118 years of records
Prentis by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Prentis's strongest decade.
195 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Prentis births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 18
1900s
18 births
- 1910s
1910s
105 births
- 1920s
1920s
167 births
- 1930s
1930s
140 births
- 1940s
1940s
195 births
- 1950s
1950s
157 births
- 1960s
1960s
123 births
- 1970s
1970s
131 births
- 1980s
1980s
118 births
- 1990s 56
1990s
56 births
- 2000s 31
2000s
31 births
- 2010s 14
2010s
14 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 195 births (15% of all-time use).
How Prentis 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 Prentis's total volume
Prentis vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Prentis by state
Where Prentis concentrates geographically, total births since 1904
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 55 | 4.4% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 34 | 2.7% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.4% |
Mississippi share of Prentis's total US births 4.4%
Even split
55 of 1,260 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Prentis? ▼
1,260 babies have been named Prentis since 1904. It was last recorded in 2021. The peak year was 1942 with 27 births.
When was Prentis most popular? ▼
Prentis was most popular in the 1940s decade with 195 total births. The single peak year was 1942.
Where is Prentis most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Prentis are Mississippi (55 births), Louisiana (34 births), Michigan (6 births).
How long has the name Prentis been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Prentis since 1904 -- 118 years through the most recent 2021 data.
What names are similar to Prentis? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Preston, Presley, Prentice, Prentiss, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Prentis's data
- Prentis's decade-level peak was the 1940s (195 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Mississippi records the most Prentiss (55 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Mississippi 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 Prentis
Nearby Names Like Prentis
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Prentis
Preston Boy
#330 122,958 births
Presley Boy
#1738 4,945 births
Prentice Boy
#10965 3,929 births
Prentiss Boy
#9921 2,724 births
Prescott Boy
#4086 1,718 births
Compare Prentis side by side: Prentis vs Preston Prentis vs Presley Prentis vs Prentice
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, 1904–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Prentis: Baby Name Since 1904 - 1,260 Births, Peak 1942." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/prentis. 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 Prentis 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.