Total births
2,396
Boys' name · since 1966
Sultan
Sultan has 2,396 recorded births since 1966 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2025 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1293
- among boys today
- 2,396
- born since 1966
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Sultan is the #1293 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,396 recorded since 1966.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sultan has been recorded 2,396 times among boys since 1966, currently ranked #1293 nationally and more common than 91% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1966 to 2025.
- #1293 among boys today
- 2,396 born since 1966
- 2020s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sultan is currently the #1293 boys' name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 2,396 born since 1966, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1293
- among boys today
- 2,396
- born since 1966
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Sultan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1293
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Sultan was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
161 babies were named Sultan in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Sultan compares
2,396 Top 19% higher than 81% 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
Sultan's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sultan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,396 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 161 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sultan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sultan's SSA record in two at 1998 and the more recent half accounts for 79% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 21%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1972, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2025 peak of 161, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sultan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2025
Current rank
#1,293
Active since
1966
Sultan popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1966–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 161
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Sultan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Sultan's strongest decade.
816 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Sultan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 9
1960s
9 births
- 1970s 158
1970s
158 births
- 1980s 166
1980s
166 births
- 1990s 238
1990s
238 births
- 2000s 293
2000s
293 births
- 2010s
2010s
716 births
- 2020s
2020s
816 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 816 births (34% of all-time use).
How Sultan 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 Sultan's total volume
Sultan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Sultan by state
Where Sultan concentrates geographically, total births since 1966
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 239 | 10.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 214 | 8.9% |
| #3 | Texas | | 172 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 114 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 71 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Florida | | 70 | 2.9% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 68 | 2.8% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 55 | 2.3% |
California share of Sultan's total US births 10.0%
Even split
239 of 2,396 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Sultan appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sultan? ▼
Since 1966, Social Security records show 2,396 babies named Sultan. Today it holds rank #1293 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2025, with 161 births.
When was Sultan most popular? ▼
Sultan was most popular in the 2020s decade with 816 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Sultan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sultan are California (239 births), New York (214 births), Texas (172 births).
How long has the name Sultan been used? ▼
Records for Sultan go back to 1966, giving 60 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Sultan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sullivan, Sulaiman, Suleiman, Sulayman, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sultan's data
- California records the most Sultans (239 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Sultan
Nearby Names Like Sultan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sultan
Sullivan Boy
#339 15,635 births
Sulaiman Boy
#1525 1,872 births
Suleiman Boy
#1789 1,048 births
Sulayman Boy
#3371 743 births
Sully Boy
#3579 680 births
Compare Sultan side by side: Sultan vs Sullivan Sultan vs Sulaiman Sultan vs Suleiman
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sultan
Terrance #1292
70,170 births · Peak 1988
Bronx #1294
2,388 births · Peak 2025
Booker #1291
12,230 births · Peak 1916
Jeffery #1295
230,549 births · Peak 1962
Ulysses #1290
18,655 births · Peak 1999
Trent #1296
51,608 births · Peak 2001
Karsyn #1289
2,898 births · Peak 2020
Arman #1297
4,635 births · Peak 2025
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, 1966–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sultan: #1293 Boys' Name - 2,396 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sultan. 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 Sultan 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.