Boys' name · since 1880
Thurman
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 16,392 babies named Thurman, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #923 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 16,392
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Thurman sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 16,392 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Thurman has been recorded 16,392 times among boys since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #923 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 16,392 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Thurman ranks #923 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 16,392 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #923 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 16,392
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Thurman's 16,392 recorded births place it above 97.97% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
27 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by North Carolina.
Thurman's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Thurman splits its recorded history at 1952: 28% of all births land in the more recent half, 72% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2022 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 361 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Thurman popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1920)
- 361
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Thurman popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1928 (Thurman as girls' name)
Thurman by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (3,204 births, 20% of the file).
1920s was Thurman's strongest decade.
3,204 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Thurman births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 173
1880s
173 births
- 1890s 167
1890s
167 births
- 1900s 295
1900s
295 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,349 births
- 1920s
1920s
3,204 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,625 births
- 1940s
1940s
2,561 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,814 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,290 births
- 1970s 754
1970s
754 births
- 1980s 488
1980s
488 births
- 1990s 361
1990s
361 births
- 2000s 172
2000s
172 births
- 2010s 101
2010s
101 births
- 2020s 38
2020s
38 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 3,204 births (20% of all-time use).
How Thurman 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 Thurman's total volume
Thurman by state
Where Thurman concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 2,244 | 13.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,636 | 10.0% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 982 | 6.0% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 908 | 5.5% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 812 | 5.0% |
| #6 | Arkansas | | 807 | 4.9% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 726 | 4.4% |
| #8 | West Virginia | | 533 | 3.3% |
2,244 of 16,392 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Thurman appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Thurman? ▼
Where does Thurman sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Thurman most popular? ▼
Where is Thurman most popular? ▼
How long has the name Thurman been used? ▼
What names are similar to Thurman? ▼
What to do with Thurman's data
- Thurman's decade-level peak was the 1920s (3,204 total births); usage has since declined to 38 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Thurmans (2,244 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Thurman
Nearby Names Like Thurman
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Thurman
Compare Thurman side by side: Thurman vs Thurston Thurman vs Thurmon Thurman vs Thurmond
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Thurman: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~144 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, 1880–2024 (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 Thurman 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.