Legend
Boy name · #194 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Legend? In official American birth records, Legend has been tracked continuously since 1993, giving it 32 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,862 baby boys were named Legend, placing it at #194 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #391, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 967 boys born in 2025 was named Legend.
The 32-year story
Legend first appears in the Social Security records in 1993, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 3,186 boys were named Legend — good for #118 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 Legend per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Legend against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Legend in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Legend is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Legend is most common
Geography matters for names, and Legend is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Legend is most common in DC (4.7 per 1,000), MS (4.2 per 1,000), HI (4.1 per 1,000), LA (3.5 per 1,000), SC (2.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Legend is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Legend
Statistically, parents drawn to Legend tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lennox, Rhett, Matias, Adonis, and Messiah.
LennoxRhettMatiasAdonisMessiahKaysonLawsonMatteo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Legend | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,862 | #193 |
| 2024 | 2,288 | #157 |
| 2023 | 2,505 | #145 |
| 2022 | 2,901 | #132 |
| 2021 | 3,186 | #118 |
| 2020 | 2,852 | #127 |
| 2019 | 2,578 | #150 |
| 2018 | 1,734 | #216 |
| 2017 | 1,461 | #255 |
| 2016 | 1,148 | #310 |
| 2015 | 815 | #391 |
| 2014 | 523 | #533 |
| 2013 | 327 | #717 |
| 2012 | 263 | #830 |
| 2011 | 215 | #928 |
| 2010 | 214 | #940 |
| 2009 | 191 | #1020 |
| 2008 | 163 | #1119 |
| 2007 | 94 | #1638 |
| 2006 | 65 | #2037 |
| 2005 | 88 | #1573 |
| 2004 | 45 | #2452 |
| 2003 | 31 | #3044 |
| 2002 | 40 | #2470 |
| 2001 | 40 | #2429 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Legend?
In official American birth records, the name Legend first appeared in 1993 (over 32 years ago), when 10 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 32 years.
Is Legend a popular boy name?
Legend ranked #194 among boys in 2025 with 1,862 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #391.
When was the name Legend most popular?
Legend peaked in 2021, when 3,186 American boys received the name (ranked #118 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Legend?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 967 newborn American boys was named Legend. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.