James — Boy name popularity
2025 rank #6 · peak #1 (1940) · 5,250,638 babies all-time
James is a boys' name that, in 2025, was ranked #6 (11,945 babies) in the United States, according to the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #1 in 1940 (62,481 babies). Across the years tracked here it has been given to about 5,250,638 babies. James is far below its peak and has become less common. The table below shows James's SSA rank and birth count year by year. (We report only counts SSA publishes; years where the name fell below SSA's 5-baby threshold show no count.)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
James popularity over time
Rank and number of boys named James per year, from SSA national data. Recent years are shown individually; earlier history is shown at decade points back to 1880.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6 | 11,945 |
| 2024 | #5 | 11,856 |
| 2023 | #4 | 11,739 |
| 2022 | #4 | 12,119 |
| 2021 | #5 | 12,474 |
| 2020 | #6 | 12,390 |
| 2019 | #6 | 13,198 |
| 2018 | #4 | 13,650 |
| 2017 | #4 | 14,362 |
| 2016 | #5 | 14,920 |
| 2015 | #7 | 14,865 |
| 2014 | #9 | 14,464 |
| 2013 | #13 | 13,596 |
| 2012 | #14 | 13,458 |
| 2011 | #17 | 13,275 |
| 2010 | #19 | 13,901 |
| 2009 | #18 | 14,223 |
| 2008 | #17 | 15,190 |
| 2007 | #15 | 15,973 |
| 2006 | #16 | 16,255 |
| 2005 | #17 | 16,140 |
| 2004 | #18 | 16,469 |
| 2003 | #18 | 16,896 |
| 2002 | #18 | 16,968 |
| 2001 | #19 | 17,074 |
| 2000 | #18 | 17,991 |
| 1999 | #19 | 18,555 |
| 1998 | #18 | 19,690 |
| 1997 | #17 | 20,408 |
| 1996 | #17 | 21,165 |
| 1990 | #8 | 32,359 |
| 1980 | #5 | 39,312 |
| 1970 | #2 | 61,735 |
| 1960 | #3 | 76,815 |
| 1950 | #1 | 86,228 |
| 1940 | #1 | 62,481 |
| 1930 | #2 | 53,957 |
| 1920 | #4 | 47,908 |
| 1910 | #2 | 9,194 |
| 1900 | #3 | 7,245 |
| 1890 | #3 | 5,097 |
| 1880 | #3 | 5,927 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
Key facts
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Sex | Boy |
| 2025 rank | #6 |
| 2025 babies | 11,945 |
| Peak rank | #1 (1940) |
| Peak-year babies | 62,481 |
| First tracked year | 1880 |
| All-time babies (tracked years) | 5,250,638 |
Similar in popularity (2025)
| Boy name | 2025 rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver | #3 | 14,939 |
| Theodore | #4 | 13,355 |
| Henry | #5 | 12,020 |
| Elijah | #7 | 11,111 |
| Mateo | #8 | 11,045 |
| William | #9 | 10,545 |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name James for boys?
In 2025, James was the 6th most popular boys' name in the US, given to 11,945 babies, per the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #1 in 1940 (62,481 babies).
When was James most popular?
For boys, James peaked at rank #1 in 1940 (62,481 babies). The first year it appears in SSA data (within our tracked years) is 1880. It has been given to about 5,250,638 babies in total across the years we track.
Is James a boy or girl name?
In the SSA data we track, James appears predominantly as a boys' name; it does not have a separate ranked entry for girls in our dataset.
Keep exploring
Source
U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names, national data 1880–2025. SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026. Public domain (U.S. Government). SSA has no name meanings or origins; this page presents only popularity data. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-22