Duke
Boy name · #695 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Duke? In official American birth records, Duke has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Duke is currently the #695 boy name in the United States — 390 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #601, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,615 boys born in 2025 was named Duke.
The 145-year story
Duke first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 529 boys were named Duke — good for #533 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.
Babies named Duke per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Duke against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Duke in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Duke is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Duke will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Duke is most common
Geography matters for names, and Duke is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Duke is most common in UT (0.6 per 1,000), CO (0.4 per 1,000), AZ (0.4 per 1,000), WI (0.4 per 1,000), MN (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Duke is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Duke
Statistically, parents drawn to Duke tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zeke, Dax, Case, Kyree, and Kase.
ZekeDaxCaseKyreeKaseDashKaceKane
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Duke | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 390 | #695 |
| 2024 | 381 | #704 |
| 2023 | 395 | #683 |
| 2022 | 403 | #676 |
| 2021 | 419 | #652 |
| 2020 | 424 | #633 |
| 2019 | 522 | #541 |
| 2018 | 529 | #533 |
| 2017 | 523 | #541 |
| 2016 | 515 | #558 |
| 2015 | 455 | #601 |
| 2014 | 384 | #668 |
| 2013 | 323 | #722 |
| 2012 | 160 | #1145 |
| 2011 | 147 | #1198 |
| 2010 | 141 | #1245 |
| 2009 | 89 | #1731 |
| 2008 | 104 | #1543 |
| 2007 | 96 | #1614 |
| 2006 | 89 | #1617 |
| 2005 | 75 | #1752 |
| 2004 | 62 | #1953 |
| 2003 | 74 | #1673 |
| 2002 | 59 | #1888 |
| 2001 | 53 | #2007 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Duke?
In official American birth records, the name Duke first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Duke a popular boy name?
Duke ranked #695 among boys in 2025 with 390 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #601.
When was the name Duke most popular?
Duke peaked in 2018, when 529 American boys received the name (ranked #533 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Duke?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,615 newborn American boys was named Duke. 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.