Howard

Last seen for girls in 1987 at #9,825 · #1,002 for boys in 2025, 226 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1920 · 7,466 births
Debut · boys
357 births
In top 100 · boys
79 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
346,666
since 1880

Howard over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201984peak #24, 1920boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#1,002226
2024—#1,057207
2023—#1,003219
2022—#1,057208
2021—#937241
2020—#1,044194
2019—#984216
2018—#975213
2017—#996203
2016—#901241
2015—#1,038194
2014—#986211
2013—#1,008194
2012—#983203
2011—#957207
2010—#894229
2009—#942216
2008—#906229
2007—#861241
2006—#834243
2005—#822229
2004—#774235
2003—#718258
2002—#684266
2001—#643290
2000—#664270
1999—#637277
1998—#586330
1997—#572324
1996—#589305
1995—#532358
1994—#523374
1993—#499416
1992—#466464
1991—#444495
1990—#403572
1989—#392559
1988—#344614
1987#9,8256#330626
1986#9,5456#331600
1985#9,3076#301677
1984#6,8109#298674
1983—#282727
1982#5,20913#268795
1981#9,1106#255855
1980#6,31910#242925
1979#8,0617#238926
1978#6,9488#222956
1977#4,94213#2161,017
1976#4,90512#2081,032
1975#4,14115#1951,166
1974#6,2588#1861,208
1973#3,63517#1741,349
1972#4,09114#1681,493
1971#5,13610#1561,837
1970#3,43518#1561,996
1969#3,61915#1422,146
1968#3,45615#1332,156
1967#3,84512#1312,284
1966#3,55813#1202,546
1965#3,26415#1222,678
1964#4,09611#1163,059
1963#3,63513#1143,160
1962#3,78212#1143,277
1961#2,75220#1093,570
1960#3,35714#1083,827
1959#3,61912#1043,987
1958#3,08515#954,364
1957#3,03315#894,614
1956#2,82617#844,707
1955#2,34122#834,746
1954#2,69517#804,933
1953#2,17323#774,985
1952#3,04013#735,244
1951#3,28411#745,108
1950#3,05212#635,164
1949#3,39310#635,284
1948#3,5939#635,497
1947#2,14621#626,061
1946#3,6658#555,694
1945#1,74323#544,768
1944#2,19916#535,025
1943#1,90021#485,739
1942#1,91720#495,571
1941#2,27214#475,067
1940#2,73710#454,824
1939#1,32731#474,613
1938#2,02116#425,018
1937#1,63022#424,700
1936#1,29631#404,874
1935#1,77919#394,970
1934#1,60322#375,068
1933#1,26232#364,995
1932#1,26833#365,292
1931#1,25833#345,624
1930#1,00254#316,341
1929#1,07846#316,010
1928#99456#316,496
1927#1,19442#286,831
1926#1,05450#276,836
1925#1,10148#267,173
1924#1,15146#267,371
1923#1,30536#267,156
1922#1,20741#267,296
1921#1,29836#277,713
1920#1,13244#247,466
1919#1,48128#246,843
1918#1,21438#266,928
1917#1,24134#266,410
1916#1,33230#256,171
1915#1,36727#256,103
1914#1,22825#264,490
1913#1,27420#263,663
1912#1,21819#253,212
1911#2,1916#281,467
1910—#271,309
1909#1,4719#261,166
1908#2,1015#281,078
1907—#33875
1906#1,7276#32803
1905#1,16211#35735
1904#1,6596#35726
1903—#37636
1902—#35632
1901#1,6795#34584
1900#1,9325#35779
1899#1,5965#34589
1898#1,5026#35706
1897—#33634
1896—#33677
1895—#33641
1894—#33612
1893—#35556
1892—#39548
1891#1,3325#40485
1890#1,0068#40501
1889—#38503
1888#9598#40513
1887#1,1475#42429
1886—#37467
1885—#41438
1884—#44432
1883—#39429
1882—#42422
1881—#41359
1880—#44357
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Howard was already there! It came in at #44, and was given to 357 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1999–2025, when fewer than 300 boys a year got the name.

Where Howard is popular in 1984

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #360 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,319 boysMNIllinois: #313 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 2,823 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedWIMichigan: #300 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 3,747 boysMINew York: #243 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 1,770 boysNYMassachusetts: #387 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 7,476 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedIAIndiana: #314 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 3,780 boysINOhio: #393 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 5,887 boysOHPennsylvania: #182 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 1,684 boysPANew Jersey: #230 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,928 boysNJConnecticut: #236 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,394 boysCTCalifornia: #355 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 3,218 boysCAUtah: #317 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,936 boysUTColorado: #294 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,764 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedNEMissouri: #349 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,456 boysMOKentucky: #173 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,539 boysKYWest Virginia: #158 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,306 boysWVVirginia: #153 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 1,057 boysVAMaryland: #194 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,406 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedDEArizona: #479 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,967 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedNMKansas: #261 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,491 boysKSArkansas: #230 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,687 boysARTennessee: #267 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,416 boysTNNorth Carolina: #239 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,862 boysNCSouth Carolina: #234 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,470 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Howard, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #350 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,440 boysOKLouisiana: #260 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,631 boysLAMississippi: #215 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,275 boysMSAlabama: #217 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,491 boysALGeorgia: #228 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,603 boysGAHawaii: #257 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,409 boysHITexas: #340 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 2,695 boysTXFlorida: #255 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 1,874 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Virginia#153 · 1 in 1,057
  2. West Virginia#158 · 1 in 1,306
  3. Kentucky#173 · 1 in 1,539
  4. Pennsylvania#182 · 1 in 1,684
  5. Maryland#194 · 1 in 1,406

Best ever in a state: #8 in Wyoming, 1912.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Virginia#153341 in 1,057
West Virginia#15891 in 1,306
Kentucky#173161 in 1,539
Pennsylvania#182451 in 1,684
Maryland#194191 in 1,406
Mississippi#215141 in 1,275
Alabama#217171 in 1,491
Georgia#228261 in 1,603
Arkansas#23091 in 1,687
New Jersey#230231 in 1,928
South Carolina#234141 in 1,470
Connecticut#23681 in 2,394
North Carolina#239211 in 1,862
New York#243661 in 1,770
Florida#255381 in 1,874
Hawaii#25751 in 1,409
Louisiana#260221 in 1,631
Kansas#26171 in 2,491
Tennessee#267131 in 2,416
Colorado#29491 in 2,764
Michigan#300171 in 3,747
Illinois#313291 in 2,823
Indiana#314101 in 3,780
Utah#31761 in 2,936
Texas#340531 in 2,695
Missouri#34981 in 4,456
Oklahoma#35071 in 3,440
California#355661 in 3,218
Minnesota#36051 in 6,319
Massachusetts#38751 in 7,476
Ohio#393131 in 5,887
Arizona#47951 in 4,967
Alaska———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Maine———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
Washington———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Howard
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 55 spots since 2024 (#1,057 → #1,002)
  • 42 spots since 2020 (#1,044 → #1,002)
  • 36 spots since 2015 (#1,038 → #1,002)
  • Biggest jump: 137 spots in 2016 (#1,038 → #901)
  • Biggest drop: 120 spots in 2022 (#937 → #1,057)
Rise & fade · boys
40 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1920 at #24 (7,466 births)
  • Births halved by 1961, 41 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 79 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 79 yrs · run 1880–1958
  • Top 1,000: 139 yrs · run 1880–2012
Share of babies · boys
1 in 134
  • Highest: 1 in 134 boys born in 1912 were named Howard (0.75%)
  • Latest: 1 in 7,558 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #24 in 1920, was only 1 in 143 (0.70%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 20.3% of all boys named Howard (70,348) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s4,349#37 (1886)#41
1890s5,949#33 (1896)#36
1900s8,014#26 (1909)#33
1910s46,596#24 (1919)#26
1920s70,348#24 (1920)#27
1930s51,495#31 (1930)#38
1940s53,530#45 (1940)#54
1950s47,852#63 (1950)#82
1960s28,703#108 (1960)#121
1970s12,980#156 (1970)#192
1980s7,052#242 (1980)#304
1990s3,915#403 (1990)#525
2000s2,477#643 (2001)#785
2010s2,111#894 (2010)#972
2020s1,295#937 (2021)#1,017

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Howard in 1984

girls
#6,810
9 births · 1 in 187,091 girls
boys
#298
674 births · 1 in 2,678 boys

Top girls' names in 1984

  1. #1Jennifer50,564
  2. #2Jessica45,857
  3. #3Ashley38,773
  4. #4Amanda33,915
  5. #5Sarah25,887
  6. #6Stephanie23,025
  7. #7Nicole22,270
  8. #8Melissa21,896
  9. #9Heather21,489
  10. #10Elizabeth20,360
  11. #6,810Howard9

Top boys' names in 1984

  1. #1Michael67,735
  2. #2Christopher60,021
  3. #3Matthew49,767
  4. #4Joshua40,266
  5. #5David38,492
  6. #6Daniel36,531
  7. #7James35,859
  8. #8John32,610
  9. #9Robert31,768
  10. #10Joseph30,513
  11. #298Howard674
More about 1984

girls

1,683,817 girls got a published name in 1984; 1 in 187,091 of them was named Howard, which outranked 44.1% of the 12,181 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Howard
  1. #6,291Zita10
  2. #6,291Zondra10
  3. #6,291Zulay10
  4. #6,810Howard9
  5. #6,810Abigayle9
  6. #6,810Abril9
  7. #6,810Adaeze9
  8. #7,398Aarin8
  9. #7,398Adaline8
  10. #7,398Aggie8

Tied with 587 names at #6,810; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1983
Risers
  1. ↑ 8,259Santana#9,015 → #756
  2. ↑ 2,419Tasia#3,151 → #732
  3. ↑ 2,198Teela#3,065 → #867
  4. ↑ 1,074Grisel#1,858 → #784
  5. ↑ 894Kaylee#1,715 → #821
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,856Dwan#874 → #2,730
  2. ↓ 720Toccara#937 → #1,657
  3. ↓ 713Kaleena#547 → #1,260
  4. ↓ 303Karie#1,000 → #1,303
  5. ↓ 300Karyn#820 → #1,120

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,804,848 boys got a published name in 1984; 1 in 2,678 of them was named Howard, which outranked 95.9% of the 7,341 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Howard
  1. #295Alvin690
  2. #296Kelvin689
  3. #297Alfredo675
  4. #298Howard674
  5. #299Wade666
  6. #300Marcos665
  7. #301Orlando661
Biggest movers since 1983
Risers
  1. ↑ 958Ryne#1,562 → #604
  2. ↑ 472Rachel#1,448 → #976
  3. ↑ 399Zebulon#1,375 → #976
  4. ↑ 359Travon#1,327 → #968
  5. ↑ 347Mackenzie#1,347 → #1,000
Fallers
  1. ↓ 741Trumaine#949 → #1,690
  2. ↓ 422Basil#1,000 → #1,422
  3. ↓ 240Alfonzo#1,000 → #1,240
  4. ↓ 208Jasen#804 → #1,012
  5. ↓ 205Woodrow#949 → #1,154

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1984 →