Total births
2,724
Boys' name · since 1887
Prentiss
Prentiss has 2,724 recorded births since 1887 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1943 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9921
- among boys today
- 2,724
- born since 1887
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Prentiss is the #9921 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,724 recorded since 1887.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Prentiss has been recorded 2,724 times among boys since 1887, currently ranked #9921 nationally and more common than 31% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1887 to 2024.
- #9921 among boys today
- 2,724 born since 1887
- 1950s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Prentiss is currently the #9921 boys' name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 2,724 born since 1887, peaking in the 1950s.
- #9921
- among boys today
- 2,724
- born since 1887
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Prentiss vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9921
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Prentiss was born in this single decade.
1943
Single peak year
47 babies were named Prentiss in 1943 - its busiest year on record.
How Prentiss compares
2,724 Top 18% higher than 82% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Prentiss's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Prentiss | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,724 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 47 | 23 | 22,252 |
Prentiss's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Prentiss's full recorded timeline at 1961, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1887, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1943 peak of 47 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Prentiss at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1943
Current rank
#9,921
Active since
1887
Prentiss popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1887–2024
- Peak year (1943)
- 47
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Prentiss popularity over time - girls
65 total births recorded since 1951 (Prentiss as girls' name)
Prentiss by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Prentiss's strongest decade.
343 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Prentiss births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 47
1900s
47 births
- 1910s
1910s
180 births
- 1920s
1920s
254 births
- 1930s
1930s
255 births
- 1940s
1940s
328 births
- 1950s
1950s
343 births
- 1960s
1960s
299 births
- 1970s
1970s
304 births
- 1980s
1980s
284 births
- 1990s
1990s
179 births
- 2000s 116
2000s
116 births
- 2010s 97
2010s
97 births
- 2020s 22
2020s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 343 births (13% of all-time use).
How Prentiss 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 Prentiss's total volume
Prentiss vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Prentiss by state
Where Prentiss concentrates geographically, total births since 1887
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 562 | 20.6% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 92 | 3.4% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 24 | 0.9% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 23 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 15 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 6 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Florida | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Texas | | 5 | 0.2% |
Mississippi share of Prentiss's total US births 20.6%
Even split
562 of 2,724 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Prentiss? ▼
Since 1887, Social Security records show 2,724 babies named Prentiss. Today it holds rank #9921 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1943, with 47 births.
When was Prentiss most popular? ▼
Prentiss was most popular in the 1950s decade with 343 total births. The single peak year was 1943.
Where is Prentiss most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Prentiss are Mississippi (562 births), Louisiana (92 births), Illinois (24 births).
How long has the name Prentiss been used? ▼
Prentiss has been recorded in Social Security data since 1887, spanning 138 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Prentiss? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Preston, Presley, Prentice, Prescott, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Prentiss's data
- Prentiss's decade-level peak was the 1950s (343 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Mississippi records the most Prentisss (562 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 Prentiss
Nearby Names Like Prentiss
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Prentiss
Preston Boy
#330 122,958 births
Presley Boy
#1738 4,945 births
Prentice Boy
#10965 3,929 births
Prescott Boy
#4086 1,718 births
Prentis Boy
1,260 births
Compare Prentiss side by side: Prentiss vs Preston Prentiss vs Presley Prentiss vs Prentice
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Prentiss
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, 1887–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Prentiss: #9921 Boys' Name - 2,724 Births, Peak 1943." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/prentiss. 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 Prentiss 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.