Boys' name · since 1918
Sambo
Since 1918, U.S. Social Security records show 39 babies named Sambo, peaking in 1924. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #23,960 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 39
- born since 1918
- 1920s
- peak decade
Sambo sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 39 recorded since 1918.
Social Security Administration records show Sambo recorded 39 times among boys since 1918, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 1986.
- #23,960 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 39 born since 1918
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sambo ranks #23,960 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 39 born since 1918, peaking in the 1920s.
- #23,960 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 39
- born since 1918
- 1920s
- peak decade
Sambo's 39 recorded births place it above 47.22% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Sambo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Sambo splits its recorded history at 1924: 62% of all births land in the more recent half, 38% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1918 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1924 peak of 7 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Sambo popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–1986
- Peak year (1924)
- 7
- Annual births at peak, across 69 years of records
Sambo by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (12 births, 31% of the file).
1920s was Sambo's strongest decade.
12 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Sambo births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
10 births
- 1920s
1920s
12 births
- 1930s
1930s
6 births
- 1980s
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 12 births (31% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sambo? ▼
Where does Sambo sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Sambo most popular? ▼
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What to do with Sambo's data
- Sambo's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (12 total births) through the 1980s (11) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sambo
Nearby Names Like Sambo
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sambo
Compare Sambo side by side: Sambo vs Samuel Sambo vs Sam Sambo vs Sammy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Sambo: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1924)
Similar record span (~68 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, 1918–1986 (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 Sambo 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.