Boys' name · since 1976
Rigel
Since 1976, U.S. Social Security records show 632 babies named Rigel, peaking in 2016. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,857 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,091 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 632
- born since 1976
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Rigel is the #5091 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 632 recorded since 1976.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rigel has been recorded 632 times among boys since 1976, currently ranked #5091 nationally and more common than 63% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1976 to 2025.
- #6,857 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #5,091 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 632 born since 1976
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rigel ranks #6,857 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #5,091 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 632 born since 1976, peaking in the 2010s.
- #6,857 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,091 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 632
- born since 1976
- 2010s
- peak decade
Rigel's 632 recorded births place it above 84.92% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Rigel compares
632 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
Rigel's all-time total is 71% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rigel | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 632 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 34 | 34 | 22,252 |
Rigel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rigel splits its recorded history at 2002: 69% of all births land in the more recent half, 31% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1984 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2016 peak of 34 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rigel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1976–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 34
- Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
Rigel popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1980 (Rigel as girls' name)
Rigel by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (214 births, 34% of the file).
2010s was Rigel's strongest decade.
214 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Rigel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 21
1970s
21 births
- 1980s 62
1980s
62 births
- 1990s
1990s
91 births
- 2000s
2000s
128 births
- 2010s
2010s
214 births
- 2020s
2020s
116 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 214 births (34% of all-time use).
How Rigel 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 Rigel's total volume
Rigel by state
Where Rigel concentrates geographically, total births since 1976
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 35 | 5.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 5 | 0.8% |
35 of 632 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Rigel's data
- Rigel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (214 total births) through the 2020s (116) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Rigels (35 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rigel
Nearby Names Like Rigel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rigel
Compare Rigel side by side: Rigel vs Rigoberto Rigel vs Riggs Rigel vs Rigo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rigel
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rigel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2016)
Similar record span (~49 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, 1976–2025 (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 Rigel 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.