Chaim
Boy name · #666 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Chaim? In official American birth records, Chaim has been tracked continuously since 1942, giving it 83 years of documented American history.
Chaim is currently the #666 boy name in the United States — 411 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #714, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,380 boys born in 2025 was named Chaim.
Babies named Chaim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 83-year story
Chaim first appears in the Social Security records in 1942, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 462 babies and a rank of #607. 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 Chaim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chaim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chaim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chaim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chaim is most common
State-level data for Chaim 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 Chaim
Statistically, parents drawn to Chaim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ephraim, Naim, Karim, Efraim, and Denim.
EphraimNaimKarimEfraimDenimCalumSamirCannon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chaim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 411 | #666 |
| 2024 | 399 | #682 |
| 2023 | 444 | #626 |
| 2022 | 462 | #607 |
| 2021 | 383 | #694 |
| 2020 | 386 | #673 |
| 2019 | 360 | #699 |
| 2018 | 314 | #751 |
| 2017 | 347 | #705 |
| 2016 | 326 | #748 |
| 2015 | 347 | #714 |
| 2014 | 291 | #790 |
| 2013 | 341 | #700 |
| 2012 | 339 | #701 |
| 2011 | 299 | #757 |
| 2010 | 245 | #859 |
| 2009 | 270 | #816 |
| 2008 | 273 | #804 |
| 2007 | 275 | #786 |
| 2006 | 237 | #847 |
| 2005 | 239 | #802 |
| 2004 | 213 | #835 |
| 2003 | 213 | #822 |
| 2002 | 184 | #886 |
| 2001 | 174 | #902 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Chaim?
In official American birth records, the name Chaim first appeared in 1942 (over 83 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 83 years.
Is Chaim a popular boy name?
Chaim ranked #666 among boys in 2025 with 411 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #714.
When was the name Chaim most popular?
Chaim peaked in 2022, when 462 American boys received the name (ranked #607 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Chaim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,380 newborn American boys was named Chaim. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.