Gunnar
Boy name · #612 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 462 baby boys were named Gunnar, placing it at #612 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #388, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,896 boys born in 2025 was named Gunnar.
The 132-year story
Gunnar first appears in the Social Security records in 1893, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 825 boys were named Gunnar — good for #388 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 Gunnar per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gunnar against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gunnar in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gunnar is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Gunnar will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gunnar is most common
Geography matters for names, and Gunnar is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Gunnar is most common in MD (0.7 per 1,000), MN (0.7 per 1,000), WA (0.6 per 1,000), SC (0.6 per 1,000), CO (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Gunnar is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Gunnar
Statistically, parents drawn to Gunnar tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gunner, Porter, Jagger, Briar, and Gianni.
GunnerPorterJaggerBriarGianniKoltonPierceZander
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gunnar | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 462 | #612 |
| 2024 | 476 | #598 |
| 2023 | 478 | #593 |
| 2022 | 486 | #589 |
| 2021 | 545 | #541 |
| 2020 | 542 | #526 |
| 2019 | 576 | #497 |
| 2018 | 621 | #468 |
| 2017 | 707 | #439 |
| 2016 | 798 | #400 |
| 2015 | 825 | #388 |
| 2014 | 816 | #382 |
| 2013 | 758 | #396 |
| 2012 | 603 | #450 |
| 2011 | 520 | #499 |
| 2010 | 457 | #553 |
| 2009 | 480 | #550 |
| 2008 | 488 | #540 |
| 2007 | 464 | #553 |
| 2006 | 512 | #507 |
| 2005 | 450 | #539 |
| 2004 | 394 | #574 |
| 2003 | 373 | #586 |
| 2002 | 398 | #558 |
| 2001 | 357 | #576 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gunnar a popular boy name?
Gunnar ranked #612 among boys in 2025 with 462 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #388.
When was the name Gunnar most popular?
Gunnar peaked in 2015, when 825 American boys received the name (ranked #388 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gunnar?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,896 newborn American boys was named Gunnar. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.