Boys' name · since 1910
Ralston
Since 1910, U.S. Social Security records show 931 babies named Ralston, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5,368 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,759 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 931
- born since 1910
- 1920s
- peak decade
Yes -- Ralston is the #9759 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 931 recorded since 1910.
Social Security Administration records show Ralston recorded 931 times among boys since 1910, holding rank #9759 nationally today, ahead of 30% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1910 to 2025.
- #5,368 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #9,759 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 931 born since 1910
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ralston ranks #5,368 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #9,759 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 931 born since 1910, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5,368 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,759 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 931
- born since 1910
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ralston's 931 recorded births place it above 88.18% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Pennsylvania.
How Ralston compares
931 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
Ralston's all-time total is 152% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ralston | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 931 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 25 | 34 | 22,252 |
Ralston's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ralston's SSA record in two at 1969 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1910, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 25, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ralston popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1910–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
Ralston by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (131 births, 14% of the file).
1920s was Ralston's strongest decade.
131 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Ralston births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
96 births
- 1920s
1920s
131 births
- 1930s
1930s
81 births
- 1940s
1940s
56 births
- 1950s 24
1950s
24 births
- 1960s
1960s
58 births
- 1970s 35
1970s
35 births
- 1980s
1980s
92 births
- 1990s
1990s
113 births
- 2000s
2000s
97 births
- 2010s
2010s
107 births
- 2020s 41
2020s
41 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 131 births (14% of all-time use).
How Ralston 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 Ralston's total volume
Ralston by state
Where Ralston concentrates geographically, total births since 1910
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 18 | 1.9% |
18 of 931 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ralston? ▼
Where does Ralston sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Ralston most popular? ▼
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What to do with Ralston's data
- Ralston's decade-level peak was the 1920s (131 total births); usage has since declined to 41 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Ralstons (18 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ralston
Nearby Names Like Ralston
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ralston
Compare Ralston side by side: Ralston vs Ralph Ralston vs Raleigh Ralston vs Ralphael
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ralston
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ralston: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~115 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, 1910–2025 (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 Ralston 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.