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
0%100%Median name50%81.8%
Rye vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Rye's 1,070 recorded births place it above 89.19% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

8 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

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

Outside the top 1,000
Peak year (2020)
76
Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
020406080 197119791989199720042010201620222025 53

Rye popularity over time - girls

166 total births recorded since 2007 (Rye as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 166 births
05101520 200720102013201520172019202120232025 11

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

births

What this shows Peak: 2010s at 407 births (38% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -36, 6.4%-36, 4.8%-46, 5.5%-25, 6.8%-101, 9.2%-38, 5.9%-35, 8%-133, 4.5%-114, 3.7%-45, 5%-29, 8.1%-29, 15.3%-17, 12.9%-39, 4.3%-34, 6.4%Rye-55, 7.1%Rye
Rye vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Rye by state

Where Rye concentrates geographically, total births since 1971

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Rye
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%
California share of Rye's total US births 7.8%
Even split

83 of 1,070 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Rye?
1,070 babies have been named Rye since 1971. All-time, it sits at #4,912 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. In 2025, it ranks #2,527 of 13,930 among boys. The peak year was 2020 with 76 births.
Where does Rye sit in the SSA name archive?
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. All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the 2025 SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Rye most popular?
Rye was most popular in the 2010s decade with 407 total births. The single peak year was 2020.
Where is Rye most popular?
The top states for the name Rye are California (83 births), Texas (36 births), New York (25 births).
Is Rye a unisex name?
Yes, Rye is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,070 births, and as a girl's name it has 166 births.
How long has the name Rye been used?
Rye has been recorded in Social Security data since 1971, spanning 55 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rye?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ryen, Ryett, Ryer, Ryelan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

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

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.

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.