Houston
Boy name · #675 in 2025 · Rare
Houston is currently the #675 boy name in the United States — 402 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #850, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,478 boys born in 2025 was named Houston.
Babies named Houston per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Houston first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 16 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 440 boys were named Houston — good for #625 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 Houston against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Houston in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Houston is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Houston will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Houston is most common
Geography matters for names, and Houston is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Houston is most common in MS (1.2 per 1,000), KY (1.1 per 1,000), AL (1.1 per 1,000), AR (1 per 1,000), OK (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Houston is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Houston
Statistically, parents drawn to Houston tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hampton, Winston, Leighton, Layton, and Kolton.
HamptonWinstonLeightonLaytonKoltonKlaytonHalstonBoston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Houston | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 402 | #675 |
| 2024 | 381 | #704 |
| 2023 | 387 | #689 |
| 2022 | 380 | #696 |
| 2021 | 440 | #625 |
| 2020 | 336 | #730 |
| 2019 | 374 | #684 |
| 2018 | 314 | #751 |
| 2017 | 284 | #804 |
| 2016 | 287 | #803 |
| 2015 | 264 | #850 |
| 2014 | 227 | #932 |
| 2013 | 206 | #972 |
| 2012 | 217 | #936 |
| 2011 | 210 | #943 |
| 2010 | 238 | #878 |
| 2009 | 219 | #938 |
| 2008 | 243 | #872 |
| 2007 | 256 | #834 |
| 2006 | 243 | #834 |
| 2005 | 218 | #844 |
| 2004 | 215 | #827 |
| 2003 | 209 | #833 |
| 2002 | 186 | #882 |
| 2001 | 195 | #833 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston a popular boy name?
Houston ranked #675 among boys in 2025 with 402 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #850.
When was the name Houston most popular?
Houston peaked in 2021, when 440 American boys received the name (ranked #625 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Houston?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,478 newborn American boys was named Houston. 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.