Total births
955
Boys' name · since 1880
York
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 955 babies named York, peaking in 1971. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9002
- among boys today
- 955
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- York is the #9002 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 955 recorded since 1880.
York has 955 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #9002 as of the latest data, more common than 37% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #9002 among boys today
- 955 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 37% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
York is currently the #9002 boys' name in America, more common than 37% of boys - 955 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #9002
- among boys today
- 955
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
York vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9002
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 37% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named York was born in this single decade.
1971
Single peak year
21 babies were named York in 1971 - its busiest year on record.
How York compares
955 Top 31% higher than 69% 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
York's all-time total is 160% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | York | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 955 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 21 | 23 | 22,252 |
York's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
York splits its recorded history at 1965: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1880 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1971 peak of 21 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
York at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1971
Current rank
#9,002
Active since
1880
York popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1971)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
York popularity over time - girls
11 total births recorded since 2018 (York as girls' name)
York by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was York's strongest decade.
142 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
York births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 23
1880s
23 births
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
89 births
- 1920s
1920s
78 births
- 1930s 48
1930s
48 births
- 1940s
1940s
65 births
- 1950s
1950s
71 births
- 1960s
1960s
142 births
- 1970s
1970s
97 births
- 1980s
1980s
95 births
- 1990s
1990s
69 births
- 2000s 40
2000s
40 births
- 2010s
2010s
75 births
- 2020s 47
2020s
47 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 142 births (15% of all-time use).
How York 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 York's total volume
York vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
York by state
Where York concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #2 | Utah | | 6 | 0.6% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of York's total US births 0.7%
Even split
7 of 955 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name York? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 955 babies named York. Today it holds rank #9002 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1971, with 21 births.
When was York most popular? ▼
York was most popular in the 1960s decade with 142 total births. The single peak year was 1971.
Where is York most popular? ▼
The top states for the name York are California (7 births), Utah (6 births), North Carolina (5 births).
How long has the name York been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked York since 1880 -- 145 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to York? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Yordi, Yordy, Yordan, Yordin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with York's data
- York's decade-level peak was the 1960s (142 total births); usage has since declined to 47 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Yorks (7 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 York
Nearby Names Like York
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to York
Yordi Boy
#7466 611 births
Yordy Boy
#9341 316 births
Yordan Boy
#7998 230 births
Yordin Boy
117 births
Yorel Boy
101 births
Compare York side by side: York vs Yordi York vs Yordy York vs Yordan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to York
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, 1880–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "York: #9002 Boys' Name - 955 Births, Peak 1971." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/york. 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 York 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.