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.
- #15,150 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 142
- born since 1915
- 1990s
- peak 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.
- #15,150 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 142 born since 1915
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wataru ranks #15,150 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 142 born since 1915, peaking in the 1990s.
- #15,150 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 142
- born since 1915
- 1990s
- peak decade
Wataru's 142 recorded births place it above 66.68% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Hawaii.
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 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
1990s is the heaviest window (50 births, 35% of the file).
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% |
27 of 142 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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
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
Compare Wataru side by side: Wataru vs Watson Wataru vs Watt Wataru vs Watts
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Wataru: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1919)
Similar record span (~100 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.