Lincoln
Boy name · #69 in 2025 · Well-known
In 2025, 4,703 baby boys were named Lincoln, placing it at #69 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #66, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 383 boys born in 2025 was named Lincoln.
The 145-year story
Lincoln first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 8,202 boys were named Lincoln — good for #41 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 Lincoln per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lincoln against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lincoln in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lincoln is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "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 Lincoln is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lincoln is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Lincoln is most common in WY (13 per 1,000), NH (11 per 1,000), ME (9.4 per 1,000), VT (9.1 per 1,000), ND (7.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lincoln is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lincoln
Statistically, parents drawn to Lincoln tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Grayson, Greyson, Easton, Jameson, and Leonardo.
GraysonGreysonEastonJamesonLeonardoNolanDeclanWeston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lincoln | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,703 | #69 |
| 2024 | 4,580 | #73 |
| 2023 | 4,866 | #64 |
| 2022 | 5,625 | #54 |
| 2021 | 6,700 | #45 |
| 2020 | 7,061 | #40 |
| 2019 | 7,473 | #41 |
| 2018 | 7,408 | #41 |
| 2017 | 8,202 | #41 |
| 2016 | 7,129 | #51 |
| 2015 | 6,001 | #66 |
| 2014 | 4,824 | #87 |
| 2013 | 4,039 | #95 |
| 2012 | 2,912 | #132 |
| 2011 | 2,158 | #179 |
| 2010 | 1,871 | #199 |
| 2009 | 2,012 | #189 |
| 2008 | 1,818 | #211 |
| 2007 | 1,655 | #224 |
| 2006 | 1,109 | #301 |
| 2005 | 502 | #495 |
| 2004 | 413 | #555 |
| 2003 | 410 | #548 |
| 2002 | 329 | #610 |
| 2001 | 309 | #616 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lincoln a popular boy name?
Lincoln ranked #69 among boys in 2025 with 4,703 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #66.
When was the name Lincoln most popular?
Lincoln peaked in 2017, when 8,202 American boys received the name (ranked #41 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lincoln?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 383 newborn American boys was named Lincoln. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "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.