Total births
19
Boys' name · since 1890
Speed
Speed has 19 recorded births since 1890 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 19
- total births
- 1890–1921
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 47%
- born in that decade
19 boys have been named Speed since 1890, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Speed recorded 19 times among boys since 1890, 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 1890 to 1921.
- 19 total births
- 1890–1921 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 47% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
19 boys have been named Speed since 1890, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1921.
- 19
- total births
- 1890–1921
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 47%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
47% of everyone ever named Speed was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
9 babies were named Speed in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
Speed's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Speed splits its recorded history at 1918: 74% of all births land in the more recent half, 26% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1890 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 9 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Speed at a glance
Last recorded 1921Peak year
1921
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1890
Speed popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1890–1921
- Peak year (1921)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 32 years of records
Speed by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Speed's strongest decade.
9 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 47% of all-time use.
Speed births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s
1890s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
5 births
- 1920s
1920s
9 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 9 births (47% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Speed? ▼
19 babies have been named Speed since 1890. It was last recorded in 1921. The peak year was 1921 with 9 births.
When was Speed most popular? ▼
Speed was most popular in the 1920s decade with 9 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
How long has the name Speed been used? ▼
Speed has been recorded in Social Security data since 1890, spanning 32 years of data through 1921.
What names are similar to Speed? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Spencer, Spenser, Spence, Spero, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
Keep exploring Speed
Nearby Names Like Speed
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Speed
Spencer Boy
#384 123,931 births
Spenser Boy
#9165 2,991 births
Spence Boy
#12407 1,114 births
Spero Boy
316 births
Speros Boy
11 births
Compare Speed side by side: Speed vs Spencer Speed vs Spenser Speed vs Spence
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1890–1921 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Speed: Baby Name Since 1890 - 19 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/speed. 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 Speed 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.