Total births
1,322
Boys' name · since 1981
Rakim
Rakim has 1,322 recorded births since 1981 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1992 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4486
- among boys today
- 1,322
- born since 1981
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Rakim currently ranks #4486 among boys' names in America, with 1,322 babies recorded since 1981.
Social Security Administration records show Rakim recorded 1,322 times among boys since 1981, holding rank #4486 nationally today, ahead of 69% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1981 to 2025.
- #4486 among boys today
- 1,322 born since 1981
- 1990s peak decade
- 69% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rakim is currently the #4486 boys' name in America, more common than 69% of boys - 1,322 born since 1981, peaking in the 1990s.
- #4486
- among boys today
- 1,322
- born since 1981
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Rakim vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4486
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 69% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Rakim was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
94 babies were named Rakim in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
How Rakim compares
1,322 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Rakim's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rakim | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,322 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 94 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rakim's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rakim's full recorded timeline at 2005, 34% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 66% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1981, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1992 peak of 94 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rakim at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1992
Current rank
#4,486
Active since
1981
Rakim popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1981–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 94
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Rakim by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Rakim's strongest decade.
563 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Rakim births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 172
1980s
172 births
- 1990s
1990s
563 births
- 2000s
2000s
237 births
- 2010s 221
2010s
221 births
- 2020s 129
2020s
129 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 563 births (43% of all-time use).
How Rakim 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 Rakim's total volume
Rakim vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rakim by state
Where Rakim concentrates geographically, total births since 1981
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 120 | 9.1% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 57 | 4.3% |
| #3 | New Jersey | | 36 | 2.7% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 36 | 2.7% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 26 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 26 | 2.0% |
| #7 | South Carolina | | 19 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 17 | 1.3% |
New York share of Rakim's total US births 9.1%
Even split
120 of 1,322 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Rakim appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rakim? ▼
Rakim has been given to 1,322 babies in the U.S. since 1981, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4486 as of the latest data. 94 babies were born in 1992, its single highest year.
When was Rakim most popular? ▼
Rakim was most popular in the 1990s decade with 563 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Rakim most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rakim are New York (120 births), North Carolina (57 births), New Jersey (36 births).
How long has the name Rakim been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Rakim since 1981 -- 45 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Rakim? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rakeem, Rakan, Rakesh, Rakai, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rakim's data
- Rakim's decade-level peak was the 1990s (563 total births); usage has since declined to 129 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Rakims (120 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Rakim
Nearby Names Like Rakim
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rakim
Rakeem Boy
#4767 2,182 births
Rakan Boy
#2655 938 births
Rakesh Boy
442 births
Rakai Boy
#3329 192 births
Rakin Boy
117 births
Compare Rakim side by side: Rakim vs Rakeem Rakim vs Rakan Rakim vs Rakesh
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rakim
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, 1981–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rakim: #4486 Boys' Name - 1,322 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rakim. 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 Rakim 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.