Total births
4,237
Boys' name · since 1909
Vidal
Since 1909, U.S. Social Security records show 4,237 babies named Vidal, peaking in 1972. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3170
- among boys today
- 4,237
- born since 1909
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Vidal is the #3170 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 4,237 recorded since 1909.
Social Security Administration records show Vidal recorded 4,237 times among boys since 1909, holding rank #3170 nationally today, ahead of 78% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1909 to 2025.
- #3170 among boys today
- 4,237 born since 1909
- 1990s peak decade
- 78% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Vidal is currently the #3170 boys' name in America, more common than 78% of boys - 4,237 born since 1909, peaking in the 1990s.
- #3170
- among boys today
- 4,237
- born since 1909
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
Vidal vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3170
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 78% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Vidal was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
160 babies were named Vidal in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Vidal compares
4,237 Top 13% higher than 87% 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
Vidal's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Vidal | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,237 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 160 | 23 | 22,252 |
Vidal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Vidal's full recorded timeline at 1970, 74% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 26% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1912, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1972 peak of 160 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Vidal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#3,170
Active since
1909
Vidal popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–2025
- Peak year (1972)
- 160
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Vidal popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1972 (Vidal as girls' name)
Vidal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Vidal's strongest decade.
751 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Vidal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 9
1900s
9 births
- 1910s 40
1910s
40 births
- 1920s 136
1920s
136 births
- 1930s 169
1930s
169 births
- 1940s 164
1940s
164 births
- 1950s 289
1950s
289 births
- 1960s 276
1960s
276 births
- 1970s
1970s
603 births
- 1980s
1980s
570 births
- 1990s
1990s
751 births
- 2000s
2000s
589 births
- 2010s
2010s
421 births
- 2020s 220
2020s
220 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 751 births (18% of all-time use).
How Vidal 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 Vidal's total volume
Vidal vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Vidal by state
Where Vidal concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,067 | 25.2% |
| #2 | California | | 999 | 23.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 165 | 3.9% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 82 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Florida | | 30 | 0.7% |
| #6 | New Mexico | | 23 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Arizona | | 16 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 15 | 0.4% |
Texas share of Vidal's total US births 25.2%
Even split
1,067 of 4,237 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Vidal appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Vidal? ▼
Vidal has been given to 4,237 babies in the U.S. since 1909, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3170 as of the latest data. 160 babies were born in 1972, its single highest year.
When was Vidal most popular? ▼
Vidal was most popular in the 1990s decade with 751 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Vidal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Vidal are Texas (1,067 births), California (999 births), New York (165 births).
How long has the name Vidal been used? ▼
Vidal has been recorded in Social Security data since 1909, spanning 117 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Vidal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Vidit, Vidyuth, Vidyut, Vidur, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Vidal's data
- Vidal's decade-level peak was the 1990s (751 total births); usage has since declined to 220 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Vidals (1,067 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Vidal
Nearby Names Like Vidal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Vidal
Vidit Boy
#13413 143 births
Vidyuth Boy
#13327 103 births
Vidyut Boy
#13414 97 births
Vidur Boy
#10388 90 births
Vidhur Boy
#13559 64 births
Compare Vidal side by side: Vidal vs Vidit Vidal vs Vidyuth Vidal vs Vidyut
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Vidal
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, 1909–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Vidal: #3170 Boys' Name - 4,237 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/vidal. 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 Vidal 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.