Total births
4,236
Boys' name · since 1882
Woody
Woody has 4,236 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1946 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7271
- among boys today
- 4,236
- born since 1882
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Woody currently ranks #7271 among boys' names in America, with 4,236 babies recorded since 1882.
Woody has 4,236 recorded births among boys since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7271 as of the latest data, more common than 49% of boys, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #7271 among boys today
- 4,236 born since 1882
- 1940s peak decade
- 49% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Woody is currently the #7271 boys' name in America, more common than 49% of boys - 4,236 born since 1882, peaking in the 1940s.
- #7271
- among boys today
- 4,236
- born since 1882
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Woody vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7271
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 49% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Woody was born in this single decade.
1946
Single peak year
116 babies were named Woody in 1946 - its busiest year on record.
How Woody compares
4,236 Top 13% higher than 87% 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
Woody's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Woody | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,236 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 116 | 23 | 22,252 |
Woody's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Woody's SSA record in two at 1963 and the more recent half accounts for 37% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 63%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1946 peak of 116, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Woody at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1946
Current rank
#7,271
Active since
1882
Woody popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (1946)
- 116
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Woody popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1937 (Woody as girls' name)
Woody by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Woody's strongest decade.
910 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Woody births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 27
1880s
27 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 12
1900s
12 births
- 1910s 160
1910s
160 births
- 1920s 206
1920s
206 births
- 1930s 305
1930s
305 births
- 1940s
1940s
910 births
- 1950s
1950s
813 births
- 1960s
1960s
577 births
- 1970s
1970s
471 births
- 1980s 287
1980s
287 births
- 1990s 212
1990s
212 births
- 2000s 92
2000s
92 births
- 2010s 79
2010s
79 births
- 2020s 80
2020s
80 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 910 births (21% of all-time use).
How Woody 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 Woody's total volume
Woody vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Woody by state
Where Woody concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 361 | 8.5% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 198 | 4.7% |
| #3 | California | | 144 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 89 | 2.1% |
| #5 | Florida | | 73 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 68 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 54 | 1.3% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 53 | 1.3% |
Texas share of Woody's total US births 8.5%
Even split
361 of 4,236 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Woody appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Woody? ▼
Woody has been given to 4,236 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #7271 as of the latest data. 116 babies were born in 1946, its single highest year.
When was Woody most popular? ▼
Woody was most popular in the 1940s decade with 910 total births. The single peak year was 1946.
Where is Woody most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Woody are Texas (361 births), North Carolina (198 births), California (144 births).
How long has the name Woody been used? ▼
Records for Woody go back to 1882, giving 144 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Woody? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Woodrow, Woodie, Woodson, Woodroe, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Woody's data
- Woody's decade-level peak was the 1940s (910 total births); usage has since declined to 80 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Woodys (361 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Woody
Nearby Names Like Woody
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Woody
Woodrow Boy
#1690 39,107 births
Woodie Boy
1,924 births
Woodson Boy
#2719 1,359 births
Woodroe Boy
784 births
Woods Boy
#1758 688 births
Compare Woody side by side: Woody vs Woodrow Woody vs Woodie Woody vs Woodson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Woody
Ruel #7270
1,921 births · Peak 1915
Fenton #7272
2,046 births · Peak 1922
Margarito #7269
4,887 births · Peak 1928
Boyce #7273
5,518 births · Peak 1934
Rollo #7268
949 births · Peak 1918
Everet #7274
752 births · Peak 1925
Schuyler #7267
4,166 births · Peak 1993
Sigmund #7275
2,855 births · Peak 1918
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Woody: #7271 Boys' Name - 4,236 Births, Peak 1946." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/woody. 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 Woody 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 July 2026.