Total births
130
Boys' name · since 1959
Twain
130 babies named Twain in U.S. Social Security records since 1959, with the highest year being 1966. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 130
- total births
- 1959–2011
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 41%
- born in that decade
130 boys have been named Twain since 1959, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Twain has been recorded 130 times among boys since 1959, 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 1959 to 2011.
- 130 total births
- 1959–2011 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 41% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
130 boys have been named Twain since 1959, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2011.
- 130
- total births
- 1959–2011
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 41%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Twain was born in this single decade.
1966
Single peak year
9 babies were named Twain in 1966 - its busiest year on record.
Twain's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Twain's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 54% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 46%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1961, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1966 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Twain at a glance
Last recorded 2011Peak year
1966
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1959
Twain popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1959–2011
- Peak year (1966)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Twain by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Twain's strongest decade.
53 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Twain births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 7
1950s
7 births
- 1960s
1960s
53 births
- 1970s
1970s
45 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 1990s 14
1990s
14 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 53 births (41% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Twain? ▼
Twain has been given to 130 babies in the U.S. since 1959, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2011. 9 babies were born in 1966, its single highest year.
When was Twain most popular? ▼
Twain was most popular in the 1960s decade with 53 total births. The single peak year was 1966.
How long has the name Twain been used? ▼
Records for Twain go back to 1959, giving 53 years of history through 2011.
What names are similar to Twain? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Twan, Twayne. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Twain's data
- Twain's decade-level peak was the 1960s (53 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- 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 Twain
Nearby Names Like Twain
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Twain
Compare Twain side by side: Twain vs Twan Twain vs Twayne
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1959–2011 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Twain: Baby Name Since 1959 - 130 Births, Peak 1966." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/twain. 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 Twain 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.