King
Boy name · #405 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name King? In official American birth records, King has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 786 baby boys were named King, placing it at #405 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #163, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,290 boys born in 2025 was named King.
The 145-year story
King first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 27 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 2,696 boys were named King — good for #147 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 King per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare King against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another King in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common King is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your King will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where King is most common
Geography matters for names, and King is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, King is most common in GA (1.1 per 1,000), SC (1.1 per 1,000), MD (0.9 per 1,000), LA (0.8 per 1,000), NC (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where King is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like King
Statistically, parents drawn to King tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kane, Kasen, Karson, Kason, and Killian.
KaneKasenKarsonKasonKillianIkerKarterKian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named King | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 786 | #405 |
| 2024 | 1,006 | #342 |
| 2023 | 1,286 | #265 |
| 2022 | 1,656 | #222 |
| 2021 | 2,055 | #185 |
| 2020 | 2,268 | #171 |
| 2019 | 2,473 | #157 |
| 2018 | 2,613 | #149 |
| 2017 | 2,696 | #147 |
| 2016 | 2,672 | #153 |
| 2015 | 2,568 | #163 |
| 2014 | 2,438 | #175 |
| 2013 | 2,110 | #193 |
| 2012 | 1,434 | #256 |
| 2011 | 730 | #389 |
| 2010 | 706 | #398 |
| 2009 | 591 | #461 |
| 2008 | 329 | #708 |
| 2007 | 321 | #720 |
| 2006 | 219 | #893 |
| 2005 | 149 | #1105 |
| 2004 | 77 | #1671 |
| 2003 | 70 | #1739 |
| 2002 | 57 | #1943 |
| 2001 | 63 | #1777 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name King?
In official American birth records, the name King first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 27 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is King a popular boy name?
King ranked #405 among boys in 2025 with 786 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #163.
When was the name King most popular?
King peaked in 2017, when 2,696 American boys received the name (ranked #147 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name King?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,290 newborn American boys was named King. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.