Boys' name · since 1966
Rakesh
Rakesh has 442 recorded births since 1966 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1980 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8,495 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 442
- born since 1966
- 1980s
- peak decade
Rakesh sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 442 recorded since 1966.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rakesh has been recorded 442 times among boys since 1966, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1966 to 2013.
- #8,495 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 442 born since 1966
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rakesh ranks #8,495 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 442 born since 1966, peaking in the 1980s.
- #8,495 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 442
- born since 1966
- 1980s
- peak decade
Rakesh's 442 recorded births place it above 81.31% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by California.
Rakesh's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rakesh's full recorded timeline at 1987, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1966, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1980 peak of 21 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rakesh popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1966–2013
- Peak year (1980)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 48 years of records
Rakesh by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (153 births, 35% of the file).
1980s was Rakesh's strongest decade.
153 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Rakesh births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 16
1960s
16 births
- 1970s
1970s
129 births
- 1980s
1980s
153 births
- 1990s
1990s
75 births
- 2000s 58
2000s
58 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 153 births (35% of all-time use).
Rakesh by state
Where Rakesh concentrates geographically, total births since 1966
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 32 | 7.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 11 | 2.5% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 7 | 1.6% |
32 of 442 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Rakesh's data
- Rakesh's decade-level peak was the 1980s (153 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Rakeshs (32 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 Rakesh
Nearby Names Like Rakesh
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rakesh
Compare Rakesh side by side: Rakesh vs Rakeem Rakesh vs Rakim Rakesh vs Rakan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rakesh: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1980)
Similar record span (~47 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, 1966–2013 (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 Rakesh 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.