Julia
Girl name · #131 in 2025 · Uniqueness 49/100
Julia ranks #131 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 2,172 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #89, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 829 girls born in 2025 was named Julia.
Babies named Julia per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Julia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 783 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 8,838 girls were named Julia — good for #27 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 Julia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Julia in class?
Julia scores 49 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 Julia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Julia is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Julias were CA (253), TX (231), FL (155), NY (138), IL (104). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Julia
Statistically, parents drawn to Julia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Natalia, Alana, Kiara, Lydia, and Cecilia.
NataliaAlanaKiaraLydiaCeciliaTaliaJadeSerena
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Julia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,172 | #131 |
| 2024 | 2,372 | #116 |
| 2023 | 2,299 | #121 |
| 2022 | 2,545 | #111 |
| 2021 | 2,433 | #114 |
| 2020 | 2,508 | #108 |
| 2019 | 2,787 | #99 |
| 2018 | 3,010 | #93 |
| 2017 | 3,125 | #93 |
| 2016 | 3,344 | #88 |
| 2015 | 3,375 | #89 |
| 2014 | 3,605 | #86 |
| 2013 | 3,754 | #75 |
| 2012 | 3,882 | #65 |
| 2011 | 4,350 | #58 |
| 2010 | 4,677 | #55 |
| 2009 | 4,996 | #50 |
| 2008 | 5,620 | #41 |
| 2007 | 6,133 | #34 |
| 2006 | 6,884 | #31 |
| 2005 | 7,089 | #31 |
| 2004 | 7,149 | #32 |
| 2003 | 7,437 | #33 |
| 2002 | 7,965 | #33 |
| 2001 | 8,838 | #27 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Julia a popular girl name?
Julia ranked #131 among girls in 2025 with 2,172 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #89.
When was the name Julia most popular?
Julia peaked in 2001, when 8,838 American girls received the name (ranked #27 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Julia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 829 newborn American girls was named Julia. It scores 49/100 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.