Total births
1,544
Boys' name · since 1907
Taft
Since 1907, U.S. Social Security records show 1,544 babies named Taft, peaking in 1908. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9031
- among boys today
- 1,544
- born since 1907
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
1,544 babies have been named Taft since 1907, making it today's #9031 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Taft has been recorded 1,544 times among boys since 1907, currently ranked #9031 nationally and more common than 37% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1907 to 2025.
- #9031 among boys today
- 1,544 born since 1907
- 1910s peak decade
- 37% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Taft is currently the #9031 boys' name in America, more common than 37% of boys - 1,544 born since 1907, peaking in the 1910s.
- #9031
- among boys today
- 1,544
- born since 1907
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Taft vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9031
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 37% of names given to boys today.
1910s
Peak decade
12% of everyone ever named Taft was born in this single decade.
1908
Single peak year
62 babies were named Taft in 1908 - its busiest year on record.
How Taft compares
1,544 Top 24% higher than 76% 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
Taft's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Taft | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,544 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 62 | 23 | 22,252 |
Taft's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Taft's full recorded timeline at 1966, 41% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 59% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1918, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1908 peak of 62 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Taft at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1908
Current rank
#9,031
Active since
1907
Taft popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1907–2025
- Peak year (1908)
- 62
- Annual births at peak, across 119 years of records
Taft by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Taft's strongest decade.
192 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Taft births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s
1900s
130 births
- 1910s
1910s
192 births
- 1920s 74
1920s
74 births
- 1930s
1930s
155 births
- 1940s
1940s
152 births
- 1950s
1950s
131 births
- 1960s
1960s
126 births
- 1970s
1970s
97 births
- 1980s
1980s
89 births
- 1990s 75
1990s
75 births
- 2000s
2000s
93 births
- 2010s
2010s
161 births
- 2020s 69
2020s
69 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 192 births (12% of all-time use).
How Taft 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 Taft's total volume
Taft vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Taft by state
Where Taft concentrates geographically, total births since 1907
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah | | 64 | 4.1% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 12 | 0.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | New York | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 5 | 0.3% |
Utah share of Taft's total US births 4.1%
Even split
64 of 1,544 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Taft? ▼
Since 1907, Social Security records show 1,544 babies named Taft. Today it holds rank #9031 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1908, with 62 births.
When was Taft most popular? ▼
Taft was most popular in the 1910s decade with 192 total births. The single peak year was 1908.
Where is Taft most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Taft are Utah (64 births), North Carolina (12 births), Texas (11 births).
How long has the name Taft been used? ▼
Taft has been recorded in Social Security data since 1907, spanning 119 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Taft? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tafari, Taff, Tafsir. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Taft's data
- Taft's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (192 total births) through the 2020s (69) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Utah records the most Tafts (64 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Utah 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 Taft
Nearby Names Like Taft
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Taft
Compare Taft side by side: Taft vs Tafari Taft vs Taff Taft vs Tafsir
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Taft
Creston #9030
835 births · Peak 1989
Trygve #9032
391 births · Peak 2015
Wendall #9029
2,433 births · Peak 1958
Allyn #9033
3,223 births · Peak 1946
Victoriano #9028
1,415 births · Peak 1929
Lancelot #9034
638 births · Peak 1984
Arland #9027
1,807 births · Peak 1935
Nunzio #9035
1,838 births · Peak 1923
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, 1907–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Taft: #9031 Boys' Name - 1,544 Births, Peak 1908." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/taft. 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 Taft 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.