Total births
50,940
Unisex name · since 1880
Rene
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 50,940 babies named Rene, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #989
- among boys today
- 50,940
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Rene is the #989 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 50,940 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Rene recorded 50,940 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #989 nationally today, ahead of 93% of boys, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #989 among boys today
- 50,940 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 93% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rene is currently the #989 unisex name in America, more common than 93% of boys - 50,940 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #989
- among boys today
- 50,940
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other boys
Rene vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#989
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 93% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Rene was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
869 babies were named Rene in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Rene compares
50,940 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Rene's all-time total is 139x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rene | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 50,940 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 869 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rene's full recorded timeline at 1954, 82% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 18% 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 1970 peak of 869 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rene at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1970
Current rank
#989
Active since
1880
Rene popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 869
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Rene popularity over time - girls
21,839 total births recorded since 1885 (Rene as girls' name)
Rene by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Rene's strongest decade.
7,351 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Rene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 50
1880s
50 births
- 1890s 84
1890s
84 births
- 1900s 144
1900s
144 births
- 1910s 840
1910s
840 births
- 1920s 1,854
1920s
1,854 births
- 1930s 1,742
1930s
1,742 births
- 1940s 2,671
1940s
2,671 births
- 1950s
1950s
4,946 births
- 1960s
1960s
7,351 births
- 1970s
1970s
7,266 births
- 1980s
1980s
7,257 births
- 1990s
1990s
7,140 births
- 2000s
2000s
5,404 births
- 2010s 2,883
2010s
2,883 births
- 2020s 1,308
2020s
1,308 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 7,351 births (14% of all-time use).
How Rene 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 Rene's total volume
Rene vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rene by state
Where Rene concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 15,698 | 30.8% |
| #2 | California | | 12,881 | 25.3% |
| #3 | New York | | 3,132 | 6.1% |
| #4 | Arizona | | 2,118 | 4.2% |
| #5 | Massachusetts | | 1,852 | 3.6% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 1,737 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 1,677 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Florida | | 1,615 | 3.2% |
Texas share of Rene's total US births 30.8%
Even split
15,698 of 50,940 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 42 reporting states.
Rene appears in 42 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rene? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 50,940 babies named Rene. Today it holds rank #989 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1970, with 869 births.
When was Rene most popular? ▼
Rene was most popular in the 1960s decade with 7,351 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Rene most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rene are Texas (15,698 births), California (12,881 births), New York (3,132 births).
Is Rene a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Rene is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 50,940 births, and as a girl's name it has 21,839 births.
How long has the name Rene been used? ▼
Records for Rene go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Rene? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Reno, Renato, Renaldo, Ren, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rene's data
- Rene's decade-level peak was the 1960s (7,351 total births); usage has since declined to 1,308 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Renes (15,698 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 Rene
Nearby Names Like Rene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rene
Reno Boy
#3340 4,160 births
Renato Boy
#2480 3,292 births
Renaldo Boy
#6864 2,879 births
Ren Boy
#1146 2,818 births
Renard Boy
#9041 2,690 births
Compare Rene side by side: Rene vs Reno Rene vs Renato Rene vs Renaldo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rene
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. "Rene: #989 Unisex Name - 50,940 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rene. 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 Rene 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.