Loyal
Boy name · #981 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
Loyal ranks #981 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 233 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2019, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,725 boys born in 2025 was named Loyal.
The 143-year story
Loyal first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 377 babies and a rank of #700. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Loyal per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Loyal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Loyal in class?
Loyal scores 56 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 Loyal is most common
Geography matters for names, and Loyal is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Loyals were GA (23), TX (21), FL (13), IL (13), NY (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Loyal
Statistically, parents drawn to Loyal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Royal, Legacy, Mael, Lux, and Ivaan.
RoyalLegacyMaelLuxIvaanKrossLenoxAzrael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Loyal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 233 | #980 |
| 2024 | 275 | #877 |
| 2023 | 356 | #738 |
| 2022 | 377 | #700 |
| 2021 | 336 | #754 |
| 2020 | 190 | #1053 |
| 2019 | 106 | #1574 |
| 2018 | 71 | #2029 |
| 2017 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2016 | 57 | #2305 |
| 2015 | 71 | #2019 |
| 2014 | 62 | #2175 |
| 2013 | 44 | #2668 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2772 |
| 2011 | 37 | #3046 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 21 | #4540 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4375 |
| 2006 | 18 | #4865 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 14 | #5492 |
| 2003 | 6 | #9581 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8456 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6013 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Loyal a popular boy name?
Loyal ranked #981 among boys in 2025 with 233 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2019.
When was the name Loyal most popular?
Loyal peaked in 2022, when 377 American boys received the name (ranked #700 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Loyal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,725 newborn American boys was named Loyal. It scores 56/100 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.