Total births
32
Boys' name · since 2013
Thoreau
Thoreau has 32 recorded births since 2013 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2019 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 32
- total births
- 2013–2021
- years on record
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 78%
- born in that decade
32 boys have been named Thoreau since 2013, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Thoreau recorded 32 times among boys since 2013, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2013 to 2021.
- 32 total births
- 2013–2021 years on record
- 2010s peak decade
- 78% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
32 boys have been named Thoreau since 2013, peaking in the 2010s, last recorded in 2021.
- 32
- total births
- 2013–2021
- years on record
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 78%
- born in that decade
2010s
Peak decade
78% of everyone ever named Thoreau was born in this single decade.
2019
Single peak year
9 babies were named Thoreau in 2019 - its busiest year on record.
Thoreau's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Thoreau's full recorded timeline at 2018, 66% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 34% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 2013, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2019 peak of 9 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Thoreau at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
2019
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
2013
Thoreau popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2013–2021
- Peak year (2019)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 9 years of records
Thoreau by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Thoreau's strongest decade.
25 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 78% of all-time use.
Thoreau births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2010s
2010s
25 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 25 births (78% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Thoreau? ▼
Since 2013, Social Security records show 32 babies named Thoreau. The most recent recorded year was 2021. Its busiest year on record was 2019, with 9 births.
When was Thoreau most popular? ▼
Thoreau was most popular in the 2010s decade with 25 total births. The single peak year was 2019.
How long has the name Thoreau been used? ▼
Thoreau has been recorded in Social Security data since 2013, spanning 9 years of data through 2021.
What names are similar to Thoreau? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Thomas, Thor, Thornton, Thompson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Thoreau's data
- Thoreau's decade-level peak was the 2010s (25 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Thoreau
Nearby Names Like Thoreau
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Thoreau
Thomas Boy
#39 2,358,576 births
Thor Boy
#2792 4,857 births
Thornton Boy
#10943 3,132 births
Thompson Boy
#2921 2,725 births
Thorin Boy
#1362 2,301 births
Compare Thoreau side by side: Thoreau vs Thomas Thoreau vs Thor Thoreau vs Thornton
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 2013–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Thoreau: Baby Name Since 2013 - 32 Births, Peak 2019." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/thoreau. 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 Thoreau 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.