Total births
562
Boys' name · since 1975
Thunder
Thunder has 562 recorded births since 1975 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2018 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6584
- among boys today
- 562
- born since 1975
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Thunder is the #6584 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 562 recorded since 1975.
Thunder has 562 recorded births among boys since 1975, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6584 as of the latest data, more common than 54% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1975 to 2025.
- #6584 among boys today
- 562 born since 1975
- 2010s peak decade
- 54% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Thunder is currently the #6584 boys' name in America, more common than 54% of boys - 562 born since 1975, peaking in the 2010s.
- #6584
- among boys today
- 562
- born since 1975
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Thunder vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6584
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 54% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Thunder was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
30 babies were named Thunder in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Thunder compares
562 Top 41% higher than 59% 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
Thunder's all-time total is 53% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Thunder | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 562 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Thunder's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Thunder's full recorded timeline at 2006, 58% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 42% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1975, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2018 peak of 30 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Thunder at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#6,584
Active since
1975
Thunder popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Thunder by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Thunder's strongest decade.
163 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Thunder births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 14
1970s
14 births
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
- 1990s
1990s
118 births
- 2000s
2000s
133 births
- 2010s
2010s
163 births
- 2020s
2020s
118 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 163 births (29% of all-time use).
How Thunder 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 Thunder's total volume
Thunder vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Thunder by state
Where Thunder concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 10 | 1.8% |
California share of Thunder's total US births 1.8%
10 of 562 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Thunder? ▼
Since 1975, Social Security records show 562 babies named Thunder. Today it holds rank #6584 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2018, with 30 births.
When was Thunder most popular? ▼
Thunder was most popular in the 2010s decade with 163 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Thunder most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Thunder are California (10 births).
How long has the name Thunder been used? ▼
Thunder has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 51 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Thunder? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Thurman, Thurston, Thurmon, Thurmond, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Thunder's data
- Thunder's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (163 total births) through the 2020s (118) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Thunders (10 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 Thunder
Nearby Names Like Thunder
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Thunder
Thurman Boy
#12361 16,392 births
Thurston Boy
#7781 3,501 births
Thurmon Boy
1,053 births
Thurmond Boy
1,002 births
Thurlow Boy
422 births
Compare Thunder side by side: Thunder vs Thurman Thunder vs Thurston Thunder vs Thurmon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Thunder
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, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Thunder: #6584 Boys' Name - 562 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/thunder. 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 Thunder 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.