Total births
122,958
Boys' name · since 1880
Preston
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 122,958 babies named Preston, peaking in 2007. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #330
- among boys today
- 122,958
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
122,958 babies have been named Preston since 1880, making it today's #330 boys' name.
Preston has 122,958 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #330 as of the latest data, more common than 98% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #330 among boys today
- 122,958 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Preston is currently the #330 boys' name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 122,958 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #330
- among boys today
- 122,958
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Preston vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#330
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Preston was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
3,797 babies were named Preston in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Preston compares
122,958 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Preston's all-time total is 335x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Preston | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 122,958 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 3,797 | 23 | 22,252 |
Preston's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Preston's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 85% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 15%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 36 births recorded -- set against the 2007 peak of 3,797, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Preston at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2007
Current rank
#330
Active since
1880
Preston popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 3,797
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Preston popularity over time - girls
799 total births recorded since 1916 (Preston as girls' name)
Preston by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Preston's strongest decade.
30,332 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Preston births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 458
1880s
458 births
- 1890s 514
1890s
514 births
- 1900s 739
1900s
739 births
- 1910s 3,049
1910s
3,049 births
- 1920s 4,235
1920s
4,235 births
- 1930s 3,441
1930s
3,441 births
- 1940s 4,502
1940s
4,502 births
- 1950s 5,164
1950s
5,164 births
- 1960s 4,783
1960s
4,783 births
- 1970s 5,483
1970s
5,483 births
- 1980s 10,236
1980s
10,236 births
- 1990s
1990s
17,088 births
- 2000s
2000s
30,332 births
- 2010s
2010s
25,049 births
- 2020s 7,885
2020s
7,885 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 30,332 births (25% of all-time use).
How Preston 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 Preston's total volume
Preston vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Preston by state
Where Preston concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 12,807 | 10.4% |
| #2 | California | | 8,505 | 6.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 5,349 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Florida | | 5,270 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 5,213 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 4,411 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 4,197 | 3.4% |
| #8 | New York | | 4,026 | 3.3% |
Texas share of Preston's total US births 10.4%
Even split
12,807 of 122,958 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Preston appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Preston? ▼
Preston has been given to 122,958 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #330 as of the latest data. 3,797 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was Preston most popular? ▼
Preston was most popular in the 2000s decade with 30,332 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Preston most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Preston are Texas (12,807 births), California (8,505 births), North Carolina (5,349 births).
How long has the name Preston been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Preston since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Preston? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Presley, Prentice, Prentiss, Prescott, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Preston's data
- Preston's decade-level peak was the 2000s (30,332 total births); usage has since declined to 7,885 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Prestons (12,807 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Preston
Nearby Names Like Preston
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Preston
Presley Boy
#1738 4,945 births
Prentice Boy
#10965 3,929 births
Prentiss Boy
#9921 2,724 births
Prescott Boy
#4086 1,718 births
Prentis Boy
1,260 births
Compare Preston side by side: Preston vs Presley Preston vs Prentice Preston vs Prentiss
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Preston
Gideon #329
22,270 births · Peak 2017
Maximus #331
34,662 births · Peak 2014
Jensen #328
17,347 births · Peak 2025
Archie #332
56,244 births · Peak 2025
Briggs #327
9,377 births · Peak 2024
Erick #333
79,463 births · Peak 2007
Dakota #326
93,118 births · Peak 1995
Shiloh #334
9,414 births · Peak 2025
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Preston: #330 Boys' Name - 122,958 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/preston. 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 Preston 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.