Total births
901
Boys' name · since 1909
Whitman
Since 1909, U.S. Social Security records show 901 babies named Whitman, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4084
- among boys today
- 901
- born since 1909
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Whitman currently ranks #4084 among boys' names in America, with 901 babies recorded since 1909.
Whitman has 901 recorded births among boys since 1909, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4084 as of the latest data, more common than 71% 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 1909 to 2025.
- #4084 among boys today
- 901 born since 1909
- 2010s peak decade
- 71% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Whitman is currently the #4084 boys' name in America, more common than 71% of boys - 901 born since 1909, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4084
- among boys today
- 901
- born since 1909
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Whitman vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4084
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 71% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Whitman was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
39 babies were named Whitman in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Whitman compares
901 Top 32% higher than 68% of 14,294 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
Whitman's all-time total is 146% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Whitman | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 901 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 39 | 23 | 22,252 |
Whitman's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Whitman's full recorded timeline at 1992, 76% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 24% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1909, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2018 peak of 39 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Whitman at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#4,084
Active since
1909
Whitman popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 39
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Whitman by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Whitman's strongest decade.
308 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Whitman births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 47
1910s
47 births
- 1920s 36
1920s
36 births
- 1930s 19
1930s
19 births
- 1940s 22
1940s
22 births
- 1950s 19
1950s
19 births
- 1960s 18
1960s
18 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 33
1980s
33 births
- 1990s 66
1990s
66 births
- 2000s
2000s
155 births
- 2010s
2010s
308 births
- 2020s
2020s
167 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 308 births (34% of all-time use).
How Whitman 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 Whitman's total volume
Whitman vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Whitman by state
Where Whitman concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alabama | | 8 | 0.9% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 0.6% |
Alabama share of Whitman's total US births 0.9%
Even split
8 of 901 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Whitman? ▼
Whitman has been given to 901 babies in the U.S. since 1909, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4084 as of the latest data. 39 babies were born in 2018, its single highest year.
When was Whitman most popular? ▼
Whitman was most popular in the 2010s decade with 308 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Whitman most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Whitman are Alabama (8 births), North Carolina (5 births), Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Whitman been used? ▼
Whitman has been recorded in Social Security data since 1909, spanning 117 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Whitman? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Whitney, Whit, Whitaker, Whitley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Whitman's data
- Whitman's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (308 total births) through the 2020s (167) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Alabama records the most Whitmans (8 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama 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 Whitman
Nearby Names Like Whitman
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Whitman
Whitney Boy
#6488 5,994 births
Whit Boy
#2100 1,287 births
Whitaker Boy
#2219 849 births
Whitley Boy
#2003 843 births
Whitten Boy
#4167 516 births
Compare Whitman side by side: Whitman vs Whitney Whitman vs Whit Whitman vs Whitaker
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Whitman
Emerald #4083
538 births · Peak 2025
Sander #4085
1,588 births · Peak 2020
Roosevelt #4082
37,661 births · Peak 1933
Prescott #4086
1,718 births · Peak 2017
Isac #4081
3,203 births · Peak 2006
Miron #4087
480 births · Peak 2017
Shep #4080
235 births · Peak 2023
Christos #4088
2,890 births · Peak 1979
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, 1909–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Whitman: #4084 Boys' Name - 901 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/whitman. 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 Whitman 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.