Boys' name · since 1880

Waldo

Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 5,716 babies named Waldo, peaking in 1915. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

5,716
total births
1880–2025
years on record
1920s
peak decade
24%
born in that decade

5,716 boys have been named Waldo since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Waldo has 5,716 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.

  • 5,716 total births
  • 1880–2025 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 24% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

5,716 boys have been named Waldo since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2025.

5,716
total births
1880–2025
years on record
1920s
peak decade
24%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

24% of everyone ever named Waldo was born in this single decade.

1915
Single peak year

174 babies were named Waldo in 1915 - its busiest year on record.

Waldo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Waldo's full recorded timeline at 1950, 23% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 77% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2013, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 174 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Waldo at a glance

Last recorded 2025

Total births

5,716

Since 1880

146 years of records

Peak year

1915

174 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2025

Active since

1880

Recorded for 146 years

Last year on file: 2025

Waldo popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025

Last recorded 2025
Peak year (1915)
174
Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
-50050100150200 188018981916193419521970198820062025 6

Waldo popularity over time - girls

6 total births recorded since 1921 (Waldo as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 6 births
6 1921 6

Waldo by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Waldo's strongest decade.

1,355 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.

Waldo births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,355 births (24% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Waldo 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 Waldo's total volume

Waldo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Waldo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Waldo
Waldo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Waldo by state

Where Waldo concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Waldo
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Ohio
232 4.1%
#2 Texas
173 3.0%
#3 California
168 2.9%
#4 Minnesota
148 2.6%
#5 Missouri
121 2.1%
#6 Illinois
115 2.0%
#7 New York
109 1.9%
#8 Iowa
105 1.8%
Ohio share of Waldo's total US births 4.1%
Even split

232 of 5,716 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.

Waldo appears in 33 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Waldo? ▼
5,716 babies have been named Waldo since 1880. It was last recorded in 2025. The peak year was 1915 with 174 births.
When was Waldo most popular? ▼
Waldo was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,355 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Waldo most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Waldo are Ohio (232 births), Texas (173 births), California (168 births).
How long has the name Waldo been used? ▼
Records for Waldo go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Waldo? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Walter, Wallace, Walker, Walton, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Waldo's data

  • Waldo's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,355 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Ohio records the most Waldos (232 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 Waldo

Nearby Names Like Waldo

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Waldo

Walter Boy
#271 631,172 births
Wallace Boy
#983 83,263 births
Walker Boy
#82 47,914 births
Walton Boy
#3275 5,889 births
Wally Boy
#6219 4,954 births

Compare Waldo side by side: Waldo vs Walter Waldo vs Wallace Waldo vs Walker

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Deshaun #3120
5,718 births · Peak 2006
Isadore #8318
5,714 births · Peak 1916
Taj #1454
5,719 births · Peak 2015
Deron #4739
5,709 births · Peak 1966
Aloysius #4704
5,724 births · Peak 1916
Hobert
5,724 births · Peak 1922
Montgomery #1088
5,701 births · Peak 2025
Berry #7765
5,737 births · Peak 1963

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. "Waldo: Baby Name Since 1880 - 5,716 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/waldo. 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 Waldo 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.