Total births
396
Boys' name · since 1888
Red
Since 1888, U.S. Social Security records show 396 babies named Red, peaking in 2024. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5252
- among boys today
- 396
- born since 1888
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 63%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Red is the #5252 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 396 recorded since 1888.
Red has 396 recorded births among boys since 1888, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5252 as of the latest data, more common than 63% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 2025.
- #5252 among boys today
- 396 born since 1888
- 1920s peak decade
- 63% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Red is currently the #5252 boys' name in America, more common than 63% of boys - 396 born since 1888, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5252
- among boys today
- 396
- born since 1888
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 63%
- more common than other boys
Red vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5252
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 63% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Red was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
18 babies were named Red in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Red compares
396 Top 48% higher than 52% 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
Red's all-time total is 8% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Red | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 396 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 23 | 22,252 |
Red's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Red splits its recorded history at 1932: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1888 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2024 peak of 18 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Red at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#5,252
Active since
1888
Red popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Red by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Red's strongest decade.
93 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Red births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1900s 12
1900s
12 births
- 1910s
1910s
79 births
- 1920s
1920s
93 births
- 1930s 23
1930s
23 births
- 1950s 10
1950s
10 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s
2010s
64 births
- 2020s
2020s
83 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 93 births (23% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Red? ▼
Red has been given to 396 babies in the U.S. since 1888, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #5252 as of the latest data. 18 babies were born in 2024, its single highest year.
When was Red most popular? ▼
Red was most popular in the 1920s decade with 93 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
How long has the name Red been used? ▼
Red has been recorded in Social Security data since 1888, spanning 138 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Red? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Redmond, Reda, Redding, Redell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Red's data
- Red's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (93 total births) through the 2020s (83) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Red
Nearby Names Like Red
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Red
Redmond Boy
#5915 819 births
Reda Boy
#7021 364 births
Redding Boy
#4732 336 births
Redell Boy
248 births
Redford Boy
#5682 223 births
Compare Red side by side: Red vs Redmond Red vs Reda Red vs Redding
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Red
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, 1888–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Red: #5252 Boys' Name - 396 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/red. 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 Red 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.