Hosea
Boy name · #2145 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Hosea? In official American birth records, Hosea has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hosea is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Hosea 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 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
How old is the name Hosea?
In official American birth records, the name Hosea first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 10 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.