Total births
9,888
Unisex name · since 1880
Unknown
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 9,888 babies named Unknown, peaking in 1954. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2919
- among boys today
- 9,888
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Unknown currently ranks #2919 among unisex names in America, with 9,888 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Unknown has been recorded 9,888 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #2919 nationally and more common than 80% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. 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 2025.
- #2919 among boys today
- 9,888 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Unknown is currently the #2919 unisex name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 9,888 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2919
- among boys today
- 9,888
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Unknown vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2919
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Unknown was born in this single decade.
1954
Single peak year
548 babies were named Unknown in 1954 - its busiest year on record.
How Unknown compares
9,888 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
Unknown's all-time total is 27x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Unknown | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,888 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 548 | 23 | 22,252 |
Unknown's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Unknown splits its recorded history at 1954: 67% of all births land in the more recent half, 33% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1880 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1954 peak of 548 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Unknown at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1954
Current rank
#2,919
Active since
1880
Unknown popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1954)
- 548
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Unknown popularity over time - girls
9,826 total births recorded since 1886 (Unknown as girls' name)
Unknown by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Unknown's strongest decade.
4,206 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Unknown births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 51
1880s
51 births
- 1890s 97
1890s
97 births
- 1900s 98
1900s
98 births
- 1910s 211
1910s
211 births
- 1920s 149
1920s
149 births
- 1930s 64
1930s
64 births
- 1940s 711
1940s
711 births
- 1950s
1950s
4,206 births
- 1960s 762
1960s
762 births
- 1970s 196
1970s
196 births
- 1980s 443
1980s
443 births
- 1990s 1,296
1990s
1,296 births
- 2000s 413
2000s
413 births
- 2010s 790
2010s
790 births
- 2020s 401
2020s
401 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 4,206 births (43% of all-time use).
How Unknown 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 Unknown's total volume
Unknown vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Unknown by state
Where Unknown concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 1,183 | 12.0% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 770 | 7.8% |
| #3 | Oregon | | 752 | 7.6% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 575 | 5.8% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 571 | 5.8% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 390 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 343 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Texas | | 314 | 3.2% |
Georgia share of Unknown's total US births 12.0%
Even split
1,183 of 9,888 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Unknown appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Unknown? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 9,888 babies named Unknown. Today it holds rank #2919 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1954, with 548 births.
When was Unknown most popular? ▼
Unknown was most popular in the 1950s decade with 4,206 total births. The single peak year was 1954.
Where is Unknown most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Unknown are Georgia (1,183 births), Alabama (770 births), Oregon (752 births).
Is Unknown a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Unknown is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 9,888 births, and as a girl's name it has 9,826 births.
How long has the name Unknown been used? ▼
Records for Unknown go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Unknown? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Unkown, Unk. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Unknown's data
- Unknown's decade-level peak was the 1950s (4,206 total births); usage has since declined to 401 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Unknowns (1,183 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia 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 Unknown
Nearby Names Like Unknown
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Unknown
Compare Unknown side by side: Unknown vs Unkown Unknown vs Unk
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Unknown
Huey #2918
7,098 births · Peak 1935
Mills #2920
919 births · Peak 2025
Larkin #2917
2,521 births · Peak 2019
Thompson #2921
2,725 births · Peak 2018
Chauncey #2916
9,685 births · Peak 1981
Terence #2922
34,290 births · Peak 1964
Jeff #2915
120,239 births · Peak 1961
Hart #2923
1,211 births · Peak 2025
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Unknown: #2919 Unisex Name - 9,888 Births, Peak 1954." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/unknown. 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 Unknown 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.