Total births
72,009
Boys' name · since 1880
Virgil
72,009 babies named Virgil in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1540
- among boys today
- 72,009
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
72,009 babies have been named Virgil since 1880, making it today's #1540 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Virgil has been recorded 72,009 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1540 nationally and more common than 89% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. 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.
- #1540 among boys today
- 72,009 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 89% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Virgil is currently the #1540 boys' name in America, more common than 89% of boys - 72,009 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1540
- among boys today
- 72,009
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Virgil vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1540
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 89% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Virgil was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
1,830 babies were named Virgil in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Virgil compares
72,009 Top 3% higher than 97% 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
Virgil's all-time total is 196x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Virgil | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 72,009 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,830 | 23 | 22,252 |
Virgil's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Virgil's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 25% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 75%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2012, with only 50 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 1,830, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Virgil at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#1,540
Active since
1880
Virgil popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 1,830
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Virgil popularity over time - girls
1,444 total births recorded since 1888 (Virgil as girls' name)
Virgil by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Virgil's strongest decade.
15,992 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Virgil births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 827
1880s
827 births
- 1890s 1,349
1890s
1,349 births
- 1900s 2,134
1900s
2,134 births
- 1910s
1910s
10,858 births
- 1920s
1920s
15,992 births
- 1930s
1930s
11,363 births
- 1940s
1940s
8,950 births
- 1950s
1950s
7,286 births
- 1960s 5,208
1960s
5,208 births
- 1970s 3,147
1970s
3,147 births
- 1980s 1,746
1980s
1,746 births
- 1990s 1,067
1990s
1,067 births
- 2000s 685
2000s
685 births
- 2010s 764
2010s
764 births
- 2020s 633
2020s
633 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 15,992 births (22% of all-time use).
How Virgil 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 Virgil's total volume
Virgil vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Virgil by state
Where Virgil concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 4,322 | 6.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 4,091 | 5.7% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 3,940 | 5.5% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 3,912 | 5.4% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 3,712 | 5.2% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 2,838 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 2,772 | 3.8% |
| #8 | California | | 2,638 | 3.7% |
Ohio share of Virgil's total US births 6.0%
Even split
4,322 of 72,009 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 47 reporting states.
Virgil appears in 47 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Virgil? ▼
Virgil has been given to 72,009 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1540 as of the latest data. 1,830 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Virgil most popular? ▼
Virgil was most popular in the 1920s decade with 15,992 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Virgil most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Virgil are Ohio (4,322 births), Texas (4,091 births), Illinois (3,940 births).
How long has the name Virgil been used? ▼
Records for Virgil go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Virgil? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Virgle, Virginia, Viraj, Virgilio, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Virgil's data
- Virgil's decade-level peak was the 1920s (15,992 total births); usage has since declined to 633 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Virgils (4,322 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio 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 Virgil
Nearby Names Like Virgil
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Virgil
Virgle Boy
2,196 births
Virginia Boy
2,009 births
Viraj Boy
#1149 1,937 births
Virgilio Boy
#5938 1,487 births
Virgel Boy
1,187 births
Compare Virgil side by side: Virgil vs Virgle Virgil vs Virginia Virgil vs Viraj
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Virgil
Khyson #1539
705 births · Peak 2023
Phineas #1541
2,803 births · Peak 2016
Shivansh #1538
1,229 births · Peak 2025
Nickolas #1542
39,356 births · Peak 1998
Demari #1537
2,828 births · Peak 2021
Linden #1543
4,102 births · Peak 2025
Nakoa #1536
1,137 births · Peak 2023
Sammy #1544
43,382 births · Peak 1947
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. "Virgil: #1540 Boys' Name - 72,009 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/virgil. 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 Virgil 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.