Desmond
Boy name · #376 in 2025 · Distinctive
Desmond is currently the #376 boy name in the United States — 839 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #351, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,145 boys born in 2025 was named Desmond.
Babies named Desmond per year. Source: SSA.
The 121-year story
Desmond first appears in the Social Security records in 1904, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1992, when 1,069 boys were named Desmond — good for #264 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 Desmond against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Desmond in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Desmond 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 Desmond is most common
Geography matters for names, and Desmond is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Desmond is most common in WA (1.5 per 1,000), MA (1.4 per 1,000), OR (1.1 per 1,000), MN (0.9 per 1,000), MD (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Desmond is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Desmond
Statistically, parents drawn to Desmond tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dante, Malcolm, Leland, Dimitri, and Forrest.
DanteMalcolmLelandDimitriForrestZachariahDamienDonovan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Desmond | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 839 | #376 |
| 2024 | 891 | #368 |
| 2023 | 797 | #399 |
| 2022 | 907 | #363 |
| 2021 | 920 | #354 |
| 2020 | 862 | #361 |
| 2019 | 863 | #369 |
| 2018 | 1,030 | #323 |
| 2017 | 1,047 | #327 |
| 2016 | 894 | #371 |
| 2015 | 962 | #351 |
| 2014 | 1,035 | #330 |
| 2013 | 984 | #329 |
| 2012 | 924 | #339 |
| 2011 | 843 | #355 |
| 2010 | 878 | #349 |
| 2009 | 789 | #383 |
| 2008 | 720 | #412 |
| 2007 | 676 | #425 |
| 2006 | 583 | #463 |
| 2005 | 530 | #472 |
| 2004 | 543 | #466 |
| 2003 | 556 | #454 |
| 2002 | 584 | #421 |
| 2001 | 636 | #397 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Desmond a popular boy name?
Desmond ranked #376 among boys in 2025 with 839 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #351.
When was the name Desmond most popular?
Desmond peaked in 1992, when 1,069 American boys received the name (ranked #264 that year). Since 1992 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Desmond?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,145 newborn American boys was named Desmond. 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.