Total births
874
Boys' name · since 1907
Primo
Since 1907, U.S. Social Security records show 874 babies named Primo, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12412
- among boys today
- 874
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
874 babies have been named Primo since 1907, making it today's #12412 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Primo recorded 874 times among boys since 1907, holding rank #12412 nationally today, ahead of 13% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1907 to 2025.
- #12412 among boys today
- 874 born since 1907
- 1920s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Primo is currently the #12412 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 874 born since 1907, peaking in the 1920s.
- #12412
- among boys today
- 874
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Primo vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12412
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Primo was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
31 babies were named Primo in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Primo compares
874 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
Primo's all-time total is 138% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Primo | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 874 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 31 | 23 | 22,252 |
Primo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Primo's full recorded timeline at 1967, 35% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 65% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1907, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 31 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Primo at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#12,412
Active since
1907
Primo popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1907–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 119 years of records
Primo by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Primo's strongest decade.
186 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Primo births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
126 births
- 1920s
1920s
186 births
- 1930s
1930s
123 births
- 1940s 29
1940s
29 births
- 1950s 65
1950s
65 births
- 1960s 45
1960s
45 births
- 1970s 43
1970s
43 births
- 1980s 23
1980s
23 births
- 1990s 51
1990s
51 births
- 2000s
2000s
75 births
- 2010s 72
2010s
72 births
- 2020s 31
2020s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 186 births (21% of all-time use).
How Primo 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 Primo's total volume
Primo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Primo by state
Where Primo concentrates geographically, total births since 1907
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 33 | 3.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 21 | 2.4% |
| #3 | Massachusetts | | 11 | 1.3% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.6% |
California share of Primo's total US births 3.8%
Even split
33 of 874 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Primo? ▼
Primo has been given to 874 babies in the U.S. since 1907, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #12412 as of the latest data. 31 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Primo most popular? ▼
Primo was most popular in the 1920s decade with 186 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Primo most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Primo are California (33 births), Pennsylvania (21 births), Massachusetts (11 births).
How long has the name Primo been used? ▼
Primo has been recorded in Social Security data since 1907, spanning 119 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Primo? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Prince, Princeton, Price, Primitivo, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Primo's data
- Primo's decade-level peak was the 1920s (186 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Primos (33 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Primo
Nearby Names Like Primo
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Primo
Prince Boy
#401 23,601 births
Princeton Boy
#614 10,256 births
Price Boy
#2718 3,926 births
Primitivo Boy
742 births
Priest Boy
#4120 561 births
Compare Primo side by side: Primo vs Prince Primo vs Princeton Primo vs Price
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Primo
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, 1907–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Primo: #12412 Boys' Name - 874 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/primo. 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 Primo 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.