Total births
71
Boys' name · since 1916
Swain
71 babies named Swain in U.S. Social Security records since 1916, with the highest year being 1973. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 71
- total births
- 1916–1987
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that decade
Swain is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 71 have been recorded since 1916.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Swain has been recorded 71 times among boys since 1916, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 1987.
- 71 total births
- 1916–1987 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 31% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
71 boys have been named Swain since 1916, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 1987.
- 71
- total births
- 1916–1987
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Swain was born in this single decade.
1973
Single peak year
14 babies were named Swain in 1973 - its busiest year on record.
Swain's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Swain's full recorded timeline at 1944, 61% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 39% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1916, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1973 peak of 14 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Swain at a glance
Last recorded 1987Peak year
1973
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1916
Swain popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–1987
- Peak year (1973)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Swain by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Swain's strongest decade.
22 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Swain births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
10 births
- 1920s
1920s
18 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
- 1970s
1970s
22 births
- 1980s
1980s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 22 births (31% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Swain? ▼
Swain has been given to 71 babies in the U.S. since 1916, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1987. 14 babies were born in 1973, its single highest year.
When was Swain most popular? ▼
Swain was most popular in the 1970s decade with 22 total births. The single peak year was 1973.
How long has the name Swain been used? ▼
Swain has been recorded in Social Security data since 1916, spanning 72 years of data through 1987.
What names are similar to Swain? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Swayze, Swayde, Swade, Swan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Swain's data
- Swain's usage has stayed within range of its 1970s decade-level peak (22 total births) through the 1980s (10) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Swain
Nearby Names Like Swain
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Swain
Swayze Boy
#5777 254 births
Swayde Boy
#4312 227 births
Swade Boy
#4655 194 births
Swan Boy
124 births
Swanson Boy
121 births
Compare Swain side by side: Swain vs Swayze Swain vs Swayde Swain vs Swade
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, 1916–1987 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Swain: Baby Name Since 1916 - 71 Births, Peak 1973." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/swain. 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 Swain 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.