Total births
3,096
Girls' name · since 1920
Velvet
Velvet has 3,096 recorded births since 1920 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1961 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9023
- among girls today
- 3,096
- born since 1920
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other girls
3,096 babies have been named Velvet since 1920, making it today's #9023 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Velvet has been recorded 3,096 times among girls since 1920, currently ranked #9023 nationally and more common than 49% of girls, 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 1920 to 2025.
- #9023 among girls today
- 3,096 born since 1920
- 1960s peak decade
- 49% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Velvet is currently the #9023 girls' name in America, more common than 49% of girls - 3,096 born since 1920, peaking in the 1960s.
- #9023
- among girls today
- 3,096
- born since 1920
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other girls
Velvet vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9023
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 49% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Velvet was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
332 babies were named Velvet in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Velvet compares
3,096 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Velvet's all-time total is 8x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Velvet | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,096 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 332 | 48 | 19,840 |
Velvet's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Velvet's SSA record in two at 1985 and the more recent half accounts for 21% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 79%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1920, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1961 peak of 332, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Velvet at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#9,023
Active since
1920
Velvet popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1920–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 332
- Annual births at peak, across 106 years of records
Velvet popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1941 (Velvet as boys' name)
Velvet by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Velvet's strongest decade.
1,257 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Velvet births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 6
1920s
6 births
- 1940s 119
1940s
119 births
- 1950s 168
1950s
168 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,257 births
- 1970s
1970s
662 births
- 1980s 401
1980s
401 births
- 1990s 206
1990s
206 births
- 2000s 110
2000s
110 births
- 2010s 94
2010s
94 births
- 2020s 73
2020s
73 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 1,257 births (41% of all-time use).
How Velvet 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 Velvet's total volume
Velvet vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Velvet by state
Where Velvet concentrates geographically, total births since 1920
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 211 | 6.8% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 118 | 3.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 105 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 83 | 2.7% |
| #5 | New York | | 65 | 2.1% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 60 | 1.9% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 54 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 51 | 1.6% |
California share of Velvet's total US births 6.8%
Even split
211 of 3,096 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Velvet appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Velvet? ▼
Velvet has been given to 3,096 babies in the U.S. since 1920, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #9023 as of the latest data. 332 babies were born in 1961, its single highest year.
When was Velvet most popular? ▼
Velvet was most popular in the 1960s decade with 1,257 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Velvet most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Velvet are California (211 births), North Carolina (118 births), Texas (105 births).
How long has the name Velvet been used? ▼
Records for Velvet go back to 1920, giving 106 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Velvet? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Velma, Velda, Velva, Velia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Velvet's data
- Velvet's decade-level peak was the 1960s (1,257 total births); usage has since declined to 73 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Velvets (211 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 Velvet
Nearby Names Like Velvet
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Velvet
Velma Girl
#7969 86,752 births
Velda Girl
7,559 births
Velva Girl
4,274 births
Velia Girl
#13542 2,831 births
Vella Girl
#5154 2,283 births
Compare Velvet side by side: Velvet vs Velma Velvet vs Velda Velvet vs Velva
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Velvet
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1920–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Velvet: #9023 Girls' Name - 3,096 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/velvet. 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 Velvet 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 July 2026.