Boys' name · since 1880
West
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 3,692 babies named West, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,219 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #1,253 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,692
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
West currently ranks #1253 among boys' names in America, with 3,692 babies recorded since 1880.
West has 3,692 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1253 as of the latest data, more common than 91% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- 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.
- #2,219 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #1,253 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 3,692 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, West ranks #2,219 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #1,253 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 3,692 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2,219 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #1,253 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,692
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
West's 3,692 recorded births place it above 95.12% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
20 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How West compares
3,692 Top 16% higher than 84% of 13,930 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
West's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | West | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,692 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 159 | 34 | 22,252 |
West's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide West's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 67% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 33%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1889, with only 7 births recorded -- set against the 2025 peak of 159, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
West popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 159
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
West popularity over time - girls
28 total births recorded since 2019 (West as girls' name)
West by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (733 births, 20% of the file).
2010s was West's strongest decade.
733 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
West births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 128
1880s
128 births
- 1890s 111
1890s
111 births
- 1900s 112
1900s
112 births
- 1910s 224
1910s
224 births
- 1920s 254
1920s
254 births
- 1930s 165
1930s
165 births
- 1940s 153
1940s
153 births
- 1950s 171
1950s
171 births
- 1960s 151
1960s
151 births
- 1970s 148
1970s
148 births
- 1980s 166
1980s
166 births
- 1990s 173
1990s
173 births
- 2000s
2000s
311 births
- 2010s
2010s
733 births
- 2020s
2020s
692 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 733 births (20% of all-time use).
How West 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 West's total volume
West by state
Where West concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 424 | 11.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 181 | 4.9% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 79 | 2.1% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 48 | 1.3% |
| #5 | Utah | | 31 | 0.8% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 27 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Colorado | | 18 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Washington | | 18 | 0.5% |
424 of 3,692 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
West appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name West? ▼
Where does West sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was West most popular? ▼
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What to do with West's data
- West's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (733 total births) through the 2020s (692) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Wests (424 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring West
Nearby Names Like West
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to West
Compare West side by side: West vs Wesley West vs Weston West vs Westley
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to West
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for West: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2025)
Similar record span (~145 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, 1880–2025 (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 West 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.