Unisex name · since 1971
Rye
Rye has 1,070 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2020 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4,912 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,527 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,070
- born since 1971
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Rye is the #2527 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 1,070 recorded since 1971.
Social Security Administration records show Rye recorded 1,070 times among boys since 1971, holding rank #2527 nationally today, ahead of 82% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #4,912 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #2,527 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,070 born since 1971
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rye ranks #4,912 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #2,527 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,070 born since 1971, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4,912 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,527 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,070
- born since 1971
- 2010s
- peak decade
Rye's 1,070 recorded births place it above 89.19% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
8 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Rye compares
1,070 Top 31% higher than 69% 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
Rye's all-time total is 190% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rye | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,070 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 34 | 22,252 |
Rye's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rye's SSA record in two at 2003 and the more recent half accounts for 83% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 17%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2020 peak of 76, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rye popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (2020)
- 76
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Currently ranks #2527 among boys.
1,070 total births across 55 years of SSA records. Peaked in 2020 with 76 births in a single year.
Rye popularity over time - girls
166 total births recorded since 2007 (Rye as girls' name)
Unisex use remains the minority pattern
The girls' variant of Rye accounts for 13% of total recorded use across both genders.
Rye by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (407 births, 38% of the file).
2010s was Rye's strongest decade.
407 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Rye births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 47
1970s
47 births
- 1980s 42
1980s
42 births
- 1990s 56
1990s
56 births
- 2000s 161
2000s
161 births
- 2010s
2010s
407 births
- 2020s
2020s
357 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 407 births (38% of all-time use).
Rye decade highlights
- Peak decade 407 births
- Runner-up 357 births
- Modern era share 2010s + 2020s
- Decades tracked with recorded births
How Rye 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 Rye's total volume
Rye by state
Where Rye concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 83 | 7.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 36 | 3.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 25 | 2.3% |
| #4 | Washington | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Massachusetts | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Colorado | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Florida | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Oregon | | 5 | 0.5% |
83 of 1,070 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Top 5 states
- California 7.8% of nationwide
- Texas 3.4% of nationwide
- New York 2.3% of nationwide
- Washington 0.9% of nationwide
- Massachusetts 0.7% of nationwide
Recorded in 8 of 51 SSA jurisdictions
California accounts for 7.8% of all recorded births nationwide - a relatively diffuse profile for this name.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Rye's data
- Rye's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (407 total births) through the 2020s (357) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Ryes (83 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 Rye
Nearby Names Like Rye
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rye
Compare Rye side by side: Rye vs Ryen Rye vs Ryett Rye vs Ryer
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rye
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rye: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2020)
Similar record span (~54 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, 1971–2025 (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 Rye 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.
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