Total births
214
Boys' name · since 1948
Rad
Since 1948, U.S. Social Security records show 214 babies named Rad, peaking in 2023. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6896
- among boys today
- 214
- born since 1948
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
214 babies have been named Rad since 1948, making it today's #6896 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rad has been recorded 214 times among boys since 1948, currently ranked #6896 nationally and more common than 52% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1948 to 2025.
- #6896 among boys today
- 214 born since 1948
- 2020s peak decade
- 52% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rad is currently the #6896 boys' name in America, more common than 52% of boys - 214 born since 1948, peaking in the 2020s.
- #6896
- among boys today
- 214
- born since 1948
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other boys
Rad vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6896
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 52% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Rad was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
17 babies were named Rad in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Rad compares
214 39th percentile among 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
Rad's all-time total is 42% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rad | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 214 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 17 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rad's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rad splits its recorded history at 1989: 60% of all births land in the more recent half, 40% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1948 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2023 peak of 17 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rad at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#6,896
Active since
1948
Rad popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1948–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 78 years of records
Rad by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Rad's strongest decade.
74 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Rad births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 24
1950s
24 births
- 1960s 28
1960s
28 births
- 1970s 15
1970s
15 births
- 1980s 19
1980s
19 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2010s
2010s
43 births
- 2020s
2020s
74 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 74 births (35% of all-time use).
Rad by state
Where Rad concentrates geographically, total births since 1948
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 2.3% |
California share of Rad's total US births 2.3%
5 of 214 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rad? ▼
214 babies have been named Rad since 1948. It currently ranks #6896 among boys. The peak year was 2023 with 17 births.
When was Rad most popular? ▼
Rad was most popular in the 2020s decade with 74 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Rad most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rad are California (5 births).
How long has the name Rad been used? ▼
Rad has been recorded in Social Security data since 1948, spanning 78 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rad? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Radley, Radford, Radames, Radek, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rad's data
- California records the most Rads (5 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 Rad
Nearby Names Like Rad
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rad
Radley Boy
#1577 1,597 births
Radford Boy
1,204 births
Radames Boy
819 births
Radek Boy
182 births
Raden Boy
#11555 165 births
Compare Rad side by side: Rad vs Radley Rad vs Radford Rad vs Radames
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rad
Terran #6895
1,536 births · Peak 1992
Andree #6897
1,090 births · Peak 2012
Jerrod #6894
9,361 births · Peak 1983
Shon #6898
5,172 births · Peak 1971
Lydell #6893
1,911 births · Peak 1977
Graylon #6899
361 births · Peak 2016
Laramie #6892
1,192 births · Peak 1985
Brandy #6900
2,302 births · Peak 1975
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, 1948–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rad: #6896 Boys' Name - 214 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rad. 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 Rad 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.