Cruz
Boy name · #331 in 2025 · Distinctive
Cruz ranks #331 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,025 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #324, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,756 boys born in 2025 was named Cruz.
Babies named Cruz per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Cruz first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2013, when 1,250 boys were named Cruz — good for #279 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Cruz against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cruz in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cruz is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Cruz is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cruz is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Cruz is most common in HI (4.1 per 1,000), NM (2 per 1,000), AZ (1.7 per 1,000), CA (1.5 per 1,000), NV (1.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Cruz is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Cruz
Statistically, parents drawn to Cruz tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cash, Kruz, Colt, Reid, and Case.
CashKruzColtReidCaseTitusCamdenReed
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cruz | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,025 | #331 |
| 2024 | 1,115 | #303 |
| 2023 | 1,015 | #329 |
| 2022 | 1,066 | #315 |
| 2021 | 1,117 | #297 |
| 2020 | 1,098 | #303 |
| 2019 | 1,115 | #304 |
| 2018 | 1,022 | #326 |
| 2017 | 970 | #347 |
| 2016 | 1,015 | #341 |
| 2015 | 1,065 | #324 |
| 2014 | 1,224 | #290 |
| 2013 | 1,250 | #279 |
| 2012 | 1,232 | #284 |
| 2011 | 1,098 | #300 |
| 2010 | 991 | #321 |
| 2009 | 906 | #346 |
| 2008 | 846 | #367 |
| 2007 | 672 | #429 |
| 2006 | 524 | #494 |
| 2005 | 477 | #515 |
| 2004 | 406 | #561 |
| 2003 | 359 | #598 |
| 2002 | 302 | #641 |
| 2001 | 333 | #596 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cruz a popular boy name?
Cruz ranked #331 among boys in 2025 with 1,025 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #324.
When was the name Cruz most popular?
Cruz peaked in 2013, when 1,250 American boys received the name (ranked #279 that year). Since 2013 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cruz?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,756 newborn American boys was named Cruz. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
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.