Boys' name · since 1938

Whaley

Since 1938, U.S. Social Security records show 11 babies named Whaley, peaking in 1947. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#34,239 of 45,481
all-time among boys
11
born since 1938
1940s
peak decade

Whaley sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 11 recorded since 1938.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Whaley has been recorded 11 times among boys since 1938, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1938 to 1947.

  • #34,239 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 11 born since 1938
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Whaley ranks #34,239 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 11 born since 1938, peaking in the 1940s.

#34,239 of 45,481
all-time among boys
11
born since 1938
1940s
peak decade
Rare archive record
All-time archive position

Whaley's 11 recorded births place it above 24.53% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Whaley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Whaley's SSA record in two at 1947 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1938, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1947 peak of 6, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Whaley popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1938–1947

Last recorded 1947
Peak year (1947)
6
Annual births at peak, across 10 years of records
4.555.566.5 19381947 6

Whaley by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (6 births, 55% of the file).

1940s was Whaley's strongest decade.

6 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 55% of all-time use.

Whaley births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 6 births (55% of all-time use).

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Whaley? ▼
Whaley has been given to 11 babies in the U.S. since 1938, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #34,239 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 1947. 6 babies were born in 1947, its single highest year.
Where does Whaley sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Whaley ranks #34,239 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Whaley most popular? ▼
Whaley was most popular in the 1940s decade with 6 total births. The single peak year was 1947.
How long has the name Whaley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Whaley since 1938 -- 10 years through the most recent 1947 data.
What names are similar to Whaley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Whalen, Wharton. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

Keep exploring Whaley

Nearby Names Like Whaley

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

Whalen Boy
#9028 203 births
Wharton Boy
38 births

Compare Whaley side by side: Whaley vs Whalen Whaley vs Wharton

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Lone
11 births · Peak 1882
Meddie
11 births · Peak 1931
Goff
11 births · Peak 1920
Orphus
11 births · Peak 1914
Elzear
11 births · Peak 1920
Fairbanks
11 births · Peak 1904
Adele
11 births · Peak 1918
Erna
11 births · Peak 1921

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Whaley: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1938–1947 (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 Whaley 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.