Fabian
Boy name · #468 in 2025 · Distinctive
Fabian is currently the #468 boy name in the United States — 655 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #356, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,748 boys born in 2025 was named Fabian.
The 143-year story
Fabian first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 1,396 boys were named Fabian — good for #253 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 Fabian per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Fabian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Fabian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Fabian 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 Fabian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Fabian is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Fabian is most common in NM (2.2 per 1,000), NV (1 per 1,000), TX (0.9 per 1,000), CA (0.9 per 1,000), AZ (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Fabian is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Fabian
Statistically, parents drawn to Fabian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dorian, Cristian, Esteban, Keegan, and Donovan.
DorianCristianEstebanKeeganDonovanAdanDarianDavian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Fabian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 655 | #468 |
| 2024 | 714 | #441 |
| 2023 | 658 | #465 |
| 2022 | 673 | #457 |
| 2021 | 684 | #448 |
| 2020 | 708 | #422 |
| 2019 | 796 | #393 |
| 2018 | 810 | #391 |
| 2017 | 825 | #388 |
| 2016 | 868 | #377 |
| 2015 | 943 | #356 |
| 2014 | 1,053 | #325 |
| 2013 | 1,096 | #313 |
| 2012 | 1,162 | #298 |
| 2011 | 1,198 | #291 |
| 2010 | 1,042 | #305 |
| 2009 | 1,174 | #283 |
| 2008 | 1,178 | #289 |
| 2007 | 1,396 | #253 |
| 2006 | 1,276 | #271 |
| 2005 | 1,232 | #269 |
| 2004 | 1,224 | #267 |
| 2003 | 1,147 | #272 |
| 2002 | 1,150 | #271 |
| 2001 | 1,111 | #275 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Fabian a popular boy name?
Fabian ranked #468 among boys in 2025 with 655 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #356.
When was the name Fabian most popular?
Fabian peaked in 2007, when 1,396 American boys received the name (ranked #253 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Fabian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,748 newborn American boys was named Fabian. 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.