Total births
4,859
Boys' name · since 1880
Ransom
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 4,859 babies named Ransom, peaking in 2022. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1651
- among boys today
- 4,859
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other boys
4,859 babies have been named Ransom since 1880, making it today's #1651 boys' name.
Ransom has 4,859 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1651 as of the latest data, more common than 88% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1651 among boys today
- 4,859 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 88% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ransom is currently the #1651 boys' name in America, more common than 88% of boys - 4,859 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1651
- among boys today
- 4,859
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other boys
Ransom vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1651
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 88% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Ransom was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
111 babies were named Ransom in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Ransom compares
4,859 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
Ransom's all-time total is 13x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ransom | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,859 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 111 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ransom's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ransom's full recorded timeline at 1953, 62% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 38% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1880, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2022 peak of 111 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ransom at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#1,651
Active since
1880
Ransom popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 111
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ransom popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 2013 (Ransom as girls' name)
Ransom by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Ransom's strongest decade.
885 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Ransom births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 115
1880s
115 births
- 1890s 114
1890s
114 births
- 1900s 100
1900s
100 births
- 1910s
1910s
376 births
- 1920s
1920s
423 births
- 1930s 312
1930s
312 births
- 1940s 312
1940s
312 births
- 1950s 274
1950s
274 births
- 1960s 200
1960s
200 births
- 1970s 147
1970s
147 births
- 1980s 217
1980s
217 births
- 1990s 310
1990s
310 births
- 2000s
2000s
455 births
- 2010s
2010s
885 births
- 2020s
2020s
619 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 885 births (18% of all-time use).
How Ransom 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 Ransom's total volume
Ransom vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ransom by state
Where Ransom concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 287 | 5.9% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 265 | 5.5% |
| #3 | California | | 98 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 64 | 1.3% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 43 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 37 | 0.8% |
| #7 | Washington | | 31 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 21 | 0.4% |
Texas share of Ransom's total US births 5.9%
Even split
287 of 4,859 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Ransom appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ransom? ▼
Ransom has been given to 4,859 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1651 as of the latest data. 111 babies were born in 2022, its single highest year.
When was Ransom most popular? ▼
Ransom was most popular in the 2010s decade with 885 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Ransom most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ransom are Texas (287 births), North Carolina (265 births), California (98 births).
How long has the name Ransom been used? ▼
Ransom has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ransom? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Randy, Randall, Randolph, Randal, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ransom's data
- Ransom's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (885 total births) through the 2020s (619) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Ransoms (287 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Ransom
Nearby Names Like Ransom
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ransom
Randy Boy
#1014 329,468 births
Randall Boy
#1608 198,592 births
Randolph Boy
#5446 49,424 births
Randal Boy
#5466 29,192 births
Randell Boy
#7807 10,011 births
Compare Ransom side by side: Ransom vs Randy Ransom vs Randall Ransom vs Randolph
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ransom
Chester #1650
121,474 births · Peak 1920
German #1652
10,290 births · Peak 1991
Vyom #1649
725 births · Peak 2023
Brent #1653
139,799 births · Peak 1970
Jessiah #1648
2,285 births · Peak 2020
Haze #1654
1,232 births · Peak 2023
Chevy #1647
3,794 births · Peak 2014
Alister #1655
1,659 births · Peak 2022
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. "Ransom: #1651 Boys' Name - 4,859 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ransom. 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 Ransom 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.