Total births
9,279
Unisex name · since 1880
Raleigh
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 9,279 babies named Raleigh, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2262
- among boys today
- 9,279
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Raleigh is the #2262 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 9,279 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Raleigh has been recorded 9,279 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #2262 nationally and more common than 84% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2262 among boys today
- 9,279 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Raleigh is currently the #2262 unisex name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 9,279 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2262
- among boys today
- 9,279
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Raleigh vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2262
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Raleigh was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
139 babies were named Raleigh in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Raleigh compares
9,279 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
Raleigh's all-time total is 25x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Raleigh | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,279 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 139 | 23 | 22,252 |
Raleigh's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Raleigh splits its recorded history at 1953: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1888 (10 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 139 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Raleigh at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#2,262
Active since
1880
Raleigh popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 139
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Raleigh popularity over time - girls
3,057 total births recorded since 1923 (Raleigh as girls' name)
Raleigh by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Raleigh's strongest decade.
1,165 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Raleigh births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 168
1880s
168 births
- 1890s 185
1890s
185 births
- 1900s 233
1900s
233 births
- 1910s
1910s
846 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,165 births
- 1930s
1930s
916 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,023 births
- 1950s
1950s
860 births
- 1960s
1960s
574 births
- 1970s 444
1970s
444 births
- 1980s
1980s
497 births
- 1990s
1990s
538 births
- 2000s
2000s
544 births
- 2010s
2010s
879 births
- 2020s 407
2020s
407 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,165 births (13% of all-time use).
How Raleigh 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 Raleigh's total volume
Raleigh vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Raleigh by state
Where Raleigh concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 610 | 6.6% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 587 | 6.3% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 513 | 5.5% |
| #4 | Texas | | 415 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 369 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Florida | | 256 | 2.8% |
| #7 | South Carolina | | 195 | 2.1% |
| #8 | California | | 179 | 1.9% |
North Carolina share of Raleigh's total US births 6.6%
Even split
610 of 9,279 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 24 reporting states.
Raleigh appears in 24 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Raleigh? ▼
Raleigh has been given to 9,279 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2262 as of the latest data. 139 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Raleigh most popular? ▼
Raleigh was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,165 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Raleigh most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Raleigh are North Carolina (610 births), Virginia (587 births), Georgia (513 births).
Is Raleigh a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Raleigh is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 9,279 births, and as a girl's name it has 3,057 births.
How long has the name Raleigh been used? ▼
Records for Raleigh go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Raleigh? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ralph, Ralston, Ralphael, Ralf, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Raleigh's data
- Raleigh's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (1,165 total births) through the 2020s (407) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- North Carolina records the most Raleighs (610 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Raleigh
Nearby Names Like Raleigh
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Raleigh
Ralph Boy
#1145 414,018 births
Ralston Boy
#9040 931 births
Ralphael Boy
439 births
Ralf Boy
#12519 304 births
Raliegh Boy
264 births
Compare Raleigh side by side: Raleigh vs Ralph Raleigh vs Ralston Raleigh vs Ralphael
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Raleigh
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Raleigh: #2262 Unisex Name - 9,279 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/raleigh. 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 Raleigh 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.