Hosea
Boy name · #2145 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Hosea is currently the #2145 boy name in the United States — 67 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2068, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 26,866 boys born in 2025 was named Hosea.
Babies named Hosea per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Hosea first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1925, when 74 boys were named Hosea — good for #766 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Hosea against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hosea in class?
Hosea scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Hosea will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Hosea is most common
Geography matters for names, and Hosea is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Hoseas were TX (7), WA (6), OH (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Hosea
Statistically, parents drawn to Hosea tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hardy, Hiram, Emile, Hershel, and Harland.
HardyHiramEmileHershelHarlandBasilAkiraEldon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hosea | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 67 | #2145 |
| 2024 | 60 | #2345 |
| 2023 | 56 | #2416 |
| 2022 | 65 | #2217 |
| 2021 | 49 | #2623 |
| 2020 | 61 | #2235 |
| 2019 | 44 | #2808 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2230 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2319 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2335 |
| 2015 | 68 | #2068 |
| 2014 | 64 | #2138 |
| 2013 | 45 | #2623 |
| 2012 | 62 | #2155 |
| 2011 | 40 | #2904 |
| 2010 | 51 | #2429 |
| 2009 | 26 | #3919 |
| 2008 | 30 | #3561 |
| 2007 | 29 | #3591 |
| 2006 | 32 | #3306 |
| 2005 | 27 | #3528 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 28 | #3188 |
| 2001 | 37 | #2562 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hosea a popular boy name?
Hosea ranked #2145 among boys in 2025 with 67 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2068.
When was the name Hosea most popular?
Hosea peaked in 1925, when 74 American boys received the name (ranked #766 that year). Since 1925 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hosea?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 26,866 newborn American boys was named Hosea. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.