Boys' name · since 1953
Tab
Tab has 1,110 recorded births since 1953 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1957 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4,806 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,110
- born since 1953
- 1960s
- peak decade
Tab sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,110 recorded since 1953.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tab has been recorded 1,110 times among boys since 1953, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1953 to 2015.
- #4,806 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,110 born since 1953
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tab ranks #4,806 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,110 born since 1953, peaking in the 1960s.
- #4,806 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,110
- born since 1953
- 1960s
- peak decade
Tab's 1,110 recorded births place it above 89.43% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
10 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
Tab's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Tab's full recorded timeline at 1975, 16% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 84% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1981, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1957 peak of 120 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Tab popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1953–2015
- Peak year (1957)
- 120
- Annual births at peak, across 63 years of records
Tab by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (425 births, 38% of the file).
1960s was Tab's strongest decade.
425 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Tab births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s
1950s
420 births
- 1960s
1960s
425 births
- 1970s 126
1970s
126 births
- 1980s 86
1980s
86 births
- 1990s 41
1990s
41 births
- 2010s 12
2010s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 425 births (38% of all-time use).
How Tab 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 Tab's total volume
Tab by state
Where Tab concentrates geographically, total births since 1953
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 60 | 5.4% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 50 | 4.5% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 24 | 2.2% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 23 | 2.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 21 | 1.9% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 18 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 16 | 1.4% |
| #8 | New York | | 11 | 1.0% |
60 of 1,110 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Tab appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tab? ▼
Where does Tab sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Tab most popular? ▼
Where is Tab most popular? ▼
How long has the name Tab been used? ▼
What names are similar to Tab? ▼
What to do with Tab's data
- Tab's decade-level peak was the 1960s (425 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tabs (60 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tab
Nearby Names Like Tab
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tab
Compare Tab side by side: Tab vs Tabor Tab vs Tabias Tab vs Tabari
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Tab: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1957)
Similar record span (~62 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1953–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Tab 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 August 2026.