Total births
76,498
Boys' name · since 1880
Wade
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 76,498 babies named Wade, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #341
- among boys today
- 76,498
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Wade is the #341 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 76,498 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Wade recorded 76,498 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #341 nationally today, ahead of 98% of boys, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #341 among boys today
- 76,498 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Wade is currently the #341 boys' name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 76,498 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #341
- among boys today
- 76,498
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Wade vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#341
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Wade was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
1,423 babies were named Wade in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Wade compares
76,498 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
Wade's all-time total is 208x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wade | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 76,498 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,423 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wade's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Wade splits its recorded history at 1953: 78% of all births land in the more recent half, 22% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1908 (37 births) -- compare that against the 1970 peak of 1,423 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Wade at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1970
Current rank
#341
Active since
1880
Wade popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 1,423
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Wade popularity over time - girls
168 total births recorded since 1916 (Wade as girls' name)
Wade by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Wade's strongest decade.
12,866 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Wade births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 523
1880s
523 births
- 1890s 530
1890s
530 births
- 1900s 557
1900s
557 births
- 1910s 2,331
1910s
2,331 births
- 1920s 3,538
1920s
3,538 births
- 1930s 3,094
1930s
3,094 births
- 1940s 4,293
1940s
4,293 births
- 1950s
1950s
8,531 births
- 1960s
1960s
12,866 births
- 1970s
1970s
10,425 births
- 1980s
1980s
6,973 births
- 1990s
1990s
5,987 births
- 2000s 4,494
2000s
4,494 births
- 2010s
2010s
6,506 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,850 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 12,866 births (17% of all-time use).
How Wade 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 Wade's total volume
Wade vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Wade by state
Where Wade concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 5,128 | 6.7% |
| #2 | California | | 4,690 | 6.1% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 4,541 | 5.9% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 3,085 | 4.0% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 2,947 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Florida | | 2,549 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 2,420 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 2,397 | 3.1% |
Texas share of Wade's total US births 6.7%
Even split
5,128 of 76,498 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Wade appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wade? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 76,498 babies named Wade. Today it holds rank #341 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1970, with 1,423 births.
When was Wade most popular? ▼
Wade was most popular in the 1960s decade with 12,866 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Wade most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wade are Texas (5,128 births), California (4,690 births), North Carolina (4,541 births).
How long has the name Wade been used? ▼
Wade has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Wade? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Waddell, Wadell, Wadie, Wadsworth, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wade's data
- Wade's usage has stayed within range of its 1960s decade-level peak (12,866 total births) through the 2020s (5,850) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Wades (5,128 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 Wade
Nearby Names Like Wade
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wade
Waddell Boy
780 births
Wadell Boy
316 births
Wadie Boy
90 births
Wadsworth Boy
76 births
Waden Boy
46 births
Compare Wade side by side: Wade vs Waddell Wade vs Wadell Wade vs Wadie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wade
Joaquin #340
35,601 births · Peak 2008
King #342
37,850 births · Peak 2017
Sullivan #339
15,635 births · Peak 2025
Damien #343
64,757 births · Peak 2007
Ezequiel #338
20,811 births · Peak 2024
Niko #344
14,629 births · Peak 2022
Mathias #337
15,544 births · Peak 2025
Kade #345
23,294 births · Peak 2024
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. "Wade: #341 Boys' Name - 76,498 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wade. 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 Wade 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.