Hudson
Boy name · #17 in 2025 · Very well-known
In 2025, 8,583 baby boys were named Hudson, placing it at #17 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #65, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 210 boys born in 2025 was named Hudson.
The 145-year story
Hudson first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 8,583 babies and a rank of #17. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Hudson per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hudson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hudson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hudson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Hudson is most common
Geography matters for names, and Hudson is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Hudson is most common in VT (20 per 1,000), WV (17 per 1,000), WY (15 per 1,000), SD (13 per 1,000), MT (12 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 5.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Hudson is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Hudson
Statistically, parents drawn to Hudson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Grayson, Weston, Waylon, Jackson, and Elias.
GraysonWestonWaylonJacksonEliasRomanEzraMason
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hudson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,583 | #17 |
| 2024 | 8,015 | #22 |
| 2023 | 7,957 | #21 |
| 2022 | 7,922 | #27 |
| 2021 | 7,625 | #34 |
| 2020 | 6,849 | #43 |
| 2019 | 6,493 | #50 |
| 2018 | 6,576 | #55 |
| 2017 | 5,789 | #64 |
| 2016 | 6,127 | #61 |
| 2015 | 6,049 | #65 |
| 2014 | 5,241 | #80 |
| 2013 | 4,671 | #87 |
| 2012 | 4,222 | #93 |
| 2011 | 3,444 | #112 |
| 2010 | 2,851 | #139 |
| 2009 | 2,650 | #150 |
| 2008 | 2,250 | #176 |
| 2007 | 1,896 | #206 |
| 2006 | 1,370 | #251 |
| 2005 | 1,209 | #276 |
| 2004 | 917 | #329 |
| 2003 | 669 | #391 |
| 2002 | 484 | #480 |
| 2001 | 438 | #516 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hudson a popular boy name?
Hudson ranked #17 among boys in 2025 with 8,583 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #65.
When was the name Hudson most popular?
Hudson peaked in 2025, when 8,583 American boys received the name (ranked #17 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Hudson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 210 newborn American boys was named Hudson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
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.