Total births
865
Boys' name · since 1984
Steel
Since 1984, U.S. Social Security records show 865 babies named Steel, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2657
- among boys today
- 865
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Steel currently ranks #2657 among boys' names in America, with 865 babies recorded since 1984.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Steel has been recorded 865 times among boys since 1984, currently ranked #2657 nationally and more common than 81% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1984 to 2025.
- #2657 among boys today
- 865 born since 1984
- 2010s peak decade
- 81% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Steel is currently the #2657 boys' name in America, more common than 81% of boys - 865 born since 1984, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2657
- among boys today
- 865
- born since 1984
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Steel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2657
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 81% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Steel was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
62 babies were named Steel in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Steel compares
865 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
Steel's all-time total is 136% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Steel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 865 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 62 | 23 | 22,252 |
Steel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Steel splits its recorded history at 2008: 78% of all births land in the more recent half, 22% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1984 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 62 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Steel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#2,657
Active since
1984
Steel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1984–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 62
- Annual births at peak, across 42 years of records
Steel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Steel's strongest decade.
355 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Steel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 10
1980s
10 births
- 1990s 61
1990s
61 births
- 2000s
2000s
162 births
- 2010s
2010s
355 births
- 2020s
2020s
277 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 355 births (41% of all-time use).
How Steel 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 Steel's total volume
Steel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Steel by state
Where Steel concentrates geographically, total births since 1984
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 56 | 6.5% |
| #2 | California | | 24 | 2.8% |
| #3 | Utah | | 15 | 1.7% |
| #4 | Arizona | | 10 | 1.2% |
| #5 | Florida | | 5 | 0.6% |
Texas share of Steel's total US births 6.5%
Even split
56 of 865 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Steel? ▼
Steel has been given to 865 babies in the U.S. since 1984, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2657 as of the latest data. 62 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Steel most popular? ▼
Steel was most popular in the 2010s decade with 355 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Steel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Steel are Texas (56 births), California (24 births), Utah (15 births).
How long has the name Steel been used? ▼
Steel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1984, spanning 42 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Steel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Steven, Stephen, Steve, Sterling, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Steel's data
- Steel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (355 total births) through the 2020s (277) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Steels (56 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Steel
Nearby Names Like Steel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Steel
Steven Boy
#268 1,293,124 births
Stephen Boy
#374 864,739 births
Steve Boy
#1686 241,224 births
Sterling Boy
#370 37,474 births
Stewart Boy
#3898 31,200 births
Compare Steel side by side: Steel vs Steven Steel vs Stephen Steel vs Steve
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Steel
Dayvon #2656
1,763 births · Peak 2021
Kashmere #2658
597 births · Peak 2022
Rakan #2655
938 births · Peak 2025
Treyvon #2659
3,974 births · Peak 2006
Devyn #2654
6,793 births · Peak 1999
Devante #2660
8,307 births · Peak 1992
Abubakar #2653
957 births · Peak 2017
Wisdom #2661
1,146 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1984–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Steel: #2657 Boys' Name - 865 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/steel. 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 Steel 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 July 2026.