Chad
Boy name · #1702 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 96 baby boys were named Chad, placing it at #1702 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #760, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,750 boys born in 2025 was named Chad.
Babies named Chad per year. Source: SSA.
The 111-year story
Chad first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 11 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1972, when 13,392 boys were named Chad — good for #25 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Chad against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chad in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chad is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chad will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chad is most common
State-level data for Chad is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Chad
Statistically, parents drawn to Chad tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Clint, Clifton, Jed, Brent, and Chet.
ClintCliftonJedBrentChetJuddClintonCraig
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chad | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | #1699 |
| 2024 | 90 | #1809 |
| 2023 | 108 | #1608 |
| 2022 | 132 | #1403 |
| 2021 | 158 | #1218 |
| 2020 | 150 | #1240 |
| 2019 | 175 | #1118 |
| 2018 | 241 | #899 |
| 2017 | 220 | #947 |
| 2016 | 291 | #799 |
| 2015 | 314 | #760 |
| 2014 | 346 | #704 |
| 2013 | 358 | #674 |
| 2012 | 434 | #589 |
| 2011 | 439 | #569 |
| 2010 | 463 | #545 |
| 2009 | 529 | #509 |
| 2008 | 613 | #452 |
| 2007 | 659 | #431 |
| 2006 | 799 | #373 |
| 2005 | 767 | #377 |
| 2004 | 828 | #343 |
| 2003 | 861 | #334 |
| 2002 | 928 | #309 |
| 2001 | 1,079 | #283 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Chad a popular boy name?
Chad ranked #1702 among boys in 2025 with 96 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #760.
When was the name Chad most popular?
Chad peaked in 1972, when 13,392 American boys received the name (ranked #25 that year). Since 1972 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Chad?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,750 newborn American boys was named Chad. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.