Total births
171
Boys' name · since 1913
Waco
Waco has 171 recorded births since 1913 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1974 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12458
- among boys today
- 171
- born since 1913
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Waco is the #12458 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 171 recorded since 1913.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Waco has been recorded 171 times among boys since 1913, currently ranked #12458 nationally and more common than 13% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2024.
- #12458 among boys today
- 171 born since 1913
- 1970s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Waco is currently the #12458 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 171 born since 1913, peaking in the 1970s.
- #12458
- among boys today
- 171
- born since 1913
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Waco vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12458
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
1970s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Waco was born in this single decade.
1974
Single peak year
13 babies were named Waco in 1974 - its busiest year on record.
How Waco compares
171 35th percentile among 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
Waco's all-time total is 53% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Waco | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 171 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 13 | 23 | 22,252 |
Waco's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Waco's SSA record in two at 1975 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1913, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1974 peak of 13, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Waco at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1974
Current rank
#12,458
Active since
1913
Waco popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2024
- Peak year (1974)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Waco by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Waco's strongest decade.
79 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Waco births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 15
1910s
15 births
- 1920s 8
1920s
8 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 8
1950s
8 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s
1970s
79 births
- 1980s 23
1980s
23 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2020s 11
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 79 births (46% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Waco? ▼
Since 1913, Social Security records show 171 babies named Waco. Today it holds rank #12458 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1974, with 13 births.
When was Waco most popular? ▼
Waco was most popular in the 1970s decade with 79 total births. The single peak year was 1974.
How long has the name Waco been used? ▼
Waco has been recorded in Social Security data since 1913, spanning 112 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Waco? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Wacey, Waclaw. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Waco's data
- Waco's decade-level peak was the 1970s (79 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Waco
Nearby Names Like Waco
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Waco
Compare Waco side by side: Waco vs Wacey Waco vs Waclaw
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Waco
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, 1913–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Waco: #12458 Boys' Name - 171 Births, Peak 1974." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/waco. 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 Waco 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.