Ames
Boy name · #1758 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
In 2025, 92 baby boys were named Ames, placing it at #1758 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2457, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 19,565 boys born in 2025 was named Ames.
Babies named Ames per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 112-year story
Ames first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 93 babies and a rank of #1754. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ames against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ames in class?
Ames scores 70 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Ames will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ames is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ames is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Amess were CA (8), MN (7), IL (5), NY (5), TX (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ames
Statistically, parents drawn to Ames tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Stiles, Akai, Alias, Hermes, and Aris.
StilesAkaiAliasHermesArisAxleMarsAras
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ames | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | #1753 |
| 2024 | 76 | #2012 |
| 2023 | 93 | #1754 |
| 2022 | 71 | #2094 |
| 2021 | 89 | #1784 |
| 2020 | 92 | #1694 |
| 2019 | 69 | #2081 |
| 2018 | 70 | #2046 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2032 |
| 2016 | 87 | #1763 |
| 2015 | 51 | #2457 |
| 2014 | 42 | #2805 |
| 2013 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2012 | 56 | #2292 |
| 2011 | 31 | #3434 |
| 2010 | 13 | #6359 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8310 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5767 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 6 | #10662 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
| 2000 | 11 | #5920 |
| 1993 | 5 | #8700 |
| 1990 | 6 | #7178 |
| 1989 | 16 | #3446 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ames a popular boy name?
Ames ranked #1758 among boys in 2025 with 92 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2457.
When was the name Ames most popular?
Ames peaked in 2023, when 93 American boys received the name (ranked #1754 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ames?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 19,565 newborn American boys was named Ames. It scores 70/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.