Total births
7,615
Unisex name · since 1972
Unique
Unique has 7,615 recorded births since 1972 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2009 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2159
- among girls today
- 7,615
- born since 1972
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Unique is the #2159 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 7,615 recorded since 1972.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Unique has been recorded 7,615 times among girls since 1972, currently ranked #2159 nationally and more common than 88% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #2159 among girls today
- 7,615 born since 1972
- 2000s peak decade
- 88% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Unique is currently the #2159 unisex name in America, more common than 88% of girls - 7,615 born since 1972, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2159
- among girls today
- 7,615
- born since 1972
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 88%
- more common than other girls
Unique vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2159
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 88% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Unique was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
292 babies were named Unique in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Unique compares
7,615 Top 10% higher than 90% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Unique's all-time total is 20x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Unique | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,615 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 292 | 48 | 19,840 |
Unique's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Unique's full recorded timeline at 1999, 65% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 35% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1974, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2009 peak of 292 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Unique at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#2,159
Active since
1972
Unique popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 292
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Unique popularity over time - boys
954 total births recorded since 1976 (Unique as boys' name)
Unique by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Unique's strongest decade.
2,476 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Unique births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 166
1970s
166 births
- 1980s 745
1980s
745 births
- 1990s
1990s
2,039 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,476 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,576 births
- 2020s 613
2020s
613 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 2,476 births (33% of all-time use).
How Unique compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Unique's total volume
Unique vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Unique by state
Where Unique concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,127 | 14.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 573 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Texas | | 514 | 6.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 438 | 5.8% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 320 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 319 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 316 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 260 | 3.4% |
California share of Unique's total US births 14.8%
Even split
1,127 of 7,615 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 32 reporting states.
Unique appears in 32 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Unique? ▼
7,615 babies have been named Unique since 1972. It currently ranks #2159 among girls. The peak year was 2009 with 292 births.
When was Unique most popular? ▼
Unique was most popular in the 2000s decade with 2,476 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Unique most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Unique are California (1,127 births), New York (573 births), Texas (514 births).
Is Unique a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Unique is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 7,615 births, and as a boy's name it has 954 births.
How long has the name Unique been used? ▼
Unique has been recorded in Social Security data since 1972, spanning 54 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Unique? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Unity, Uniqua, Unice, Unika, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Unique's data
- Unique's decade-level peak was the 2000s (2,476 total births); usage has since declined to 613 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Uniques (1,127 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 Unique
Nearby Names Like Unique
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Unique
Unity Girl
#3995 805 births
Uniqua Girl
488 births
Unice Girl
300 births
Unika Girl
123 births
Unita Girl
84 births
Compare Unique side by side: Unique vs Unity Unique vs Uniqua Unique vs Unice
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Unique
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, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Unique: #2159 Unisex Name - 7,615 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/unique. 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 Unique 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.