Total births
1,001
Unisex name · since 1880
Starling
Starling has 1,001 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9910
- among boys today
- 1,001
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Starling currently ranks #9910 among unisex names in America, with 1,001 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Starling has been recorded 1,001 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #9910 nationally and more common than 31% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #9910 among boys today
- 1,001 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Starling is currently the #9910 unisex name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 1,001 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9910
- among boys today
- 1,001
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Starling vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9910
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Starling was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
26 babies were named Starling in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Starling compares
1,001 Top 31% higher than 69% of 14,294 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
Starling's all-time total is 173% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Starling | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,001 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 26 | 23 | 22,252 |
Starling's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Starling splits its recorded history at 1951: 39% of all births land in the more recent half, 61% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1880 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 26 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Starling at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#9,910
Active since
1880
Starling popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Starling popularity over time - girls
225 total births recorded since 1930 (Starling as girls' name)
Starling by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Starling's strongest decade.
155 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Starling births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 29
1880s
29 births
- 1890s 12
1890s
12 births
- 1900s 25
1900s
25 births
- 1910s
1910s
123 births
- 1920s
1920s
155 births
- 1930s
1930s
125 births
- 1940s
1940s
125 births
- 1950s
1950s
98 births
- 1960s 52
1960s
52 births
- 1970s 57
1970s
57 births
- 1980s 31
1980s
31 births
- 1990s 41
1990s
41 births
- 2000s 37
2000s
37 births
- 2010s 45
2010s
45 births
- 2020s 46
2020s
46 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 155 births (15% of all-time use).
How Starling 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 Starling's total volume
Starling vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Starling by state
Where Starling concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 10 | 1.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 6 | 0.6% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.5% |
Georgia share of Starling's total US births 1.0%
Even split
10 of 1,001 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Starling? ▼
1,001 babies have been named Starling since 1880. It currently ranks #9910 among boys. The peak year was 1920 with 26 births.
When was Starling most popular? ▼
Starling was most popular in the 1920s decade with 155 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Starling most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Starling are Georgia (10 births), New York (6 births), Kentucky (5 births).
Is Starling a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Starling is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,001 births, and as a girl's name it has 225 births.
How long has the name Starling been used? ▼
Starling has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Starling? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Stanley, Stacy, Stacey, Stan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Starling's data
- Starling's decade-level peak was the 1920s (155 total births); usage has since declined to 46 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Starlings (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Starling
Nearby Names Like Starling
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Starling
Stanley Boy
#869 301,425 births
Stacy Boy
#10954 22,257 births
Stacey Boy
#6227 13,982 births
Stan Boy
#8374 8,480 births
Stanford Boy
#7266 7,727 births
Compare Starling side by side: Starling vs Stanley Starling vs Stacy Starling vs Stacey
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Starling
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Starling: #9910 Unisex Name - 1,001 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/starling. 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 Starling 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.