Harper
Boy name · #1976 in 2025 · Very rare
Harper is currently the #1976 boy name in the United States — 77 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #722, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,377 boys born in 2025 was named Harper.
Babies named Harper per year. Source: SSA.
The 144-year story
Harper first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 416 boys were named Harper — good for #606 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 Harper against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harper in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harper is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Harper will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Harper is most common
State-level data for Harper is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Harper
Statistically, parents drawn to Harper tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Keller, Kooper, Fischer, Zyler, and Xzavier.
KellerKooperFischerZylerXzavierRhyderOlivierStryker
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harper | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 77 | #1976 |
| 2024 | 92 | #1776 |
| 2023 | 127 | #1432 |
| 2022 | 139 | #1347 |
| 2021 | 149 | #1273 |
| 2020 | 149 | #1245 |
| 2019 | 202 | #1028 |
| 2018 | 214 | #970 |
| 2017 | 286 | #798 |
| 2016 | 299 | #791 |
| 2015 | 341 | #722 |
| 2014 | 328 | #730 |
| 2013 | 366 | #661 |
| 2012 | 416 | #606 |
| 2011 | 402 | #607 |
| 2010 | 341 | #689 |
| 2009 | 316 | #737 |
| 2008 | 248 | #855 |
| 2007 | 231 | #879 |
| 2006 | 195 | #954 |
| 2005 | 139 | #1150 |
| 2004 | 77 | #1671 |
| 2003 | 72 | #1702 |
| 2002 | 73 | #1636 |
| 2001 | 58 | #1893 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Harper a popular boy name?
Harper ranked #1976 among boys in 2025 with 77 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #722.
When was the name Harper most popular?
Harper peaked in 2012, when 416 American boys received the name (ranked #606 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Harper?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,377 newborn American boys was named Harper. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.