Boys' name · since 1954
Race
Since 1954, U.S. Social Security records show 1,411 babies named Race, peaking in 2002. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,124 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,865 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,411
- born since 1954
- 2000s
- peak decade
Yes -- Race is the #6865 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,411 recorded since 1954.
Race has 1,411 recorded births among boys since 1954, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6865 as of the latest data, more common than 51% 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 1954 to 2025.
- #4,124 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #6,865 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,411 born since 1954
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Race ranks #4,124 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #6,865 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,411 born since 1954, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4,124 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,865 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,411
- born since 1954
- 2000s
- peak decade
Race's 1,411 recorded births place it above 90.92% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
8 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Race compares
1,411 Top 27% higher than 73% of 13,930 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
Race's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Race | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,411 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 65 | 34 | 22,252 |
Race's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Race's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1954, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2002 peak of 65, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Race popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1954–2025
- Peak year (2002)
- 65
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Race by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (532 births, 38% of the file).
2000s was Race's strongest decade.
532 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Race births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 41
1950s
41 births
- 1960s 39
1960s
39 births
- 1970s 30
1970s
30 births
- 1980s 114
1980s
114 births
- 1990s
1990s
352 births
- 2000s
2000s
532 births
- 2010s
2010s
245 births
- 2020s 58
2020s
58 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 532 births (38% of all-time use).
How Race 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 Race's total volume
Race by state
Where Race concentrates geographically, total births since 1954
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 79 | 5.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 23 | 1.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 15 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Washington | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Florida | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Idaho | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Utah | | 5 | 0.4% |
79 of 1,411 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Race? ▼
Where does Race sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Race most popular? ▼
Where is Race most popular? ▼
How long has the name Race been used? ▼
What names are similar to Race? ▼
What to do with Race's data
- Race's decade-level peak was the 2000s (532 total births); usage has since declined to 58 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Races (79 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Race
Nearby Names Like Race
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Race
Compare Race side by side: Race vs Rachel Race vs Rachael Race vs Rachit
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Race
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Race: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2002)
Similar record span (~71 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1954–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Race 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 August 2026.