Total births
142
Boys' name · since 1915
Wataru
142 babies named Wataru in U.S. Social Security records since 1915, with the highest year being 1919. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 142
- total births
- 1915–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 35%
- born in that decade
Wataru is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 142 have been recorded since 1915.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wataru has been recorded 142 times among boys since 1915, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2015.
- 142 total births
- 1915–2015 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 35% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
142 boys have been named Wataru since 1915, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2015.
- 142
- total births
- 1915–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 35%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Wataru was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
15 babies were named Wataru in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
Wataru's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Wataru's full recorded timeline at 1991, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1921, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1919 peak of 15 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Wataru at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1919
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Wataru popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2015
- Peak year (1919)
- 15
- Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
Wataru by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Wataru's strongest decade.
50 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Wataru births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
22 births
- 1920s
1920s
36 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1980s 8
1980s
8 births
- 1990s
1990s
50 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 50 births (35% of all-time use).
Wataru by state
Where Wataru concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | | 27 | 19.0% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 3.5% |
Hawaii share of Wataru's total US births 19.0%
Even split
27 of 142 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wataru? ▼
Wataru has been given to 142 babies in the U.S. since 1915, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2015. 15 babies were born in 1919, its single highest year.
When was Wataru most popular? ▼
Wataru was most popular in the 1990s decade with 50 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Wataru most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wataru are Hawaii (27 births), California (5 births).
How long has the name Wataru been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Wataru since 1915 -- 101 years through the most recent 2015 data.
What names are similar to Wataru? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Watson, Watt, Watts, Wattson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wataru's data
- Wataru's decade-level peak was the 1990s (50 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Hawaii records the most Watarus (27 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Hawaii 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 Wataru
Nearby Names Like Wataru
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wataru
Watson Boy
#867 6,699 births
Watt Boy
444 births
Watts Boy
81 births
Wattson Boy
#8918 57 births
Watkins Boy
21 births
Compare Wataru side by side: Wataru vs Watson Wataru vs Watt Wataru vs Watts
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1915–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wataru: Baby Name Since 1915 - 142 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wataru. 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 Wataru 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.