Gideon
Boy name · #337 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 993 baby boys were named Gideon, placing it at #337 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #327, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,813 boys born in 2025 was named Gideon.
Babies named Gideon per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Gideon first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 1,161 boys were named Gideon — good for #304 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 Gideon against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gideon in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gideon 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 Gideon is most common
Geography matters for names, and Gideon is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Gideon is most common in ID (1.5 per 1,000), IN (1.5 per 1,000), MO (1.4 per 1,000), WI (1.4 per 1,000), KS (1.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Gideon is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Gideon
Statistically, parents drawn to Gideon tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Paxton, Orion, Lawson, Karson, and Daxton.
PaxtonOrionLawsonKarsonDaxtonGreysonDeaconWinston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gideon | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 993 | #337 |
| 2024 | 1,054 | #329 |
| 2023 | 1,047 | #318 |
| 2022 | 1,027 | #330 |
| 2021 | 1,084 | #308 |
| 2020 | 1,031 | #321 |
| 2019 | 1,043 | #320 |
| 2018 | 1,108 | #308 |
| 2017 | 1,161 | #304 |
| 2016 | 1,034 | #336 |
| 2015 | 1,055 | #327 |
| 2014 | 944 | #348 |
| 2013 | 846 | #367 |
| 2012 | 765 | #391 |
| 2011 | 689 | #411 |
| 2010 | 576 | #460 |
| 2009 | 486 | #542 |
| 2008 | 504 | #530 |
| 2007 | 490 | #526 |
| 2006 | 433 | #575 |
| 2005 | 304 | #683 |
| 2004 | 290 | #688 |
| 2003 | 290 | #674 |
| 2002 | 226 | #762 |
| 2001 | 257 | #698 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gideon a popular boy name?
Gideon ranked #337 among boys in 2025 with 993 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #327.
When was the name Gideon most popular?
Gideon peaked in 2017, when 1,161 American boys received the name (ranked #304 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gideon?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,813 newborn American boys was named Gideon. 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.