Journey
Girl name · #411 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
Journey is currently the #411 girl name in the United States — 757 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #274, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,378 girls born in 2025 was named Journey.
The 44-year story
Journey first appears in the Social Security records in 1981, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 1,397 girls were named Journey — good for #226 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.
Babies named Journey per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Journey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Journey in class?
Journey scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Journey is most common
Geography matters for names, and Journey is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Journeys were TX (78), CA (58), GA (47), FL (46), NC (38). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Journey
Statistically, parents drawn to Journey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Finley, Brinley, Kensley, Ainsley, and Charley.
FinleyBrinleyKensleyAinsleyCharleyPresleyHarleyMckinley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Journey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 757 | #411 |
| 2024 | 961 | #320 |
| 2023 | 933 | #331 |
| 2022 | 1,025 | #312 |
| 2021 | 1,178 | #264 |
| 2020 | 1,095 | #292 |
| 2019 | 1,298 | #245 |
| 2018 | 1,397 | #226 |
| 2017 | 1,167 | #276 |
| 2016 | 1,219 | #262 |
| 2015 | 1,157 | #274 |
| 2014 | 1,126 | #288 |
| 2013 | 960 | #335 |
| 2012 | 958 | #327 |
| 2011 | 867 | #369 |
| 2010 | 754 | #419 |
| 2009 | 613 | #498 |
| 2008 | 527 | #589 |
| 2007 | 422 | #690 |
| 2006 | 331 | #821 |
| 2005 | 343 | #772 |
| 2004 | 259 | #930 |
| 2003 | 265 | #898 |
| 2002 | 239 | #936 |
| 2001 | 235 | #940 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Journey a popular girl name?
Journey ranked #411 among girls in 2025 with 757 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #274.
When was the name Journey most popular?
Journey peaked in 2018, when 1,397 American girls received the name (ranked #226 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Journey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,378 newborn American girls was named Journey. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.