Meadow
Girl name · #286 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Meadow? In official American birth records, Meadow has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
Meadow is currently the #286 girl name in the United States — 1,078 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #673, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,670 girls born in 2025 was named Meadow.
Babies named Meadow per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 111-year story
Meadow first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,078 babies and a rank of #286. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Meadow against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Meadow in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Meadow 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 Meadow is most common
Geography matters for names, and Meadow is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Meadow is most common in WV (3 per 1,000), OR (1.9 per 1,000), CT (1.7 per 1,000), ID (1.4 per 1,000), PA (1.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Meadow is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Meadow
Statistically, parents drawn to Meadow tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harlow, Maryam, Maisie, Milani, and Matilda.
HarlowMaryamMaisieMilaniMatildaMiraMalaniAzalea
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Meadow | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,078 | #286 |
| 2024 | 953 | #325 |
| 2023 | 870 | #350 |
| 2022 | 776 | #405 |
| 2021 | 624 | #499 |
| 2020 | 646 | #476 |
| 2019 | 630 | #497 |
| 2018 | 608 | #512 |
| 2017 | 394 | #725 |
| 2016 | 426 | #687 |
| 2015 | 424 | #673 |
| 2014 | 374 | #750 |
| 2013 | 257 | #979 |
| 2012 | 267 | #951 |
| 2011 | 294 | #887 |
| 2010 | 304 | #873 |
| 2009 | 321 | #867 |
| 2008 | 325 | #855 |
| 2007 | 381 | #765 |
| 2006 | 342 | #797 |
| 2005 | 295 | #856 |
| 2004 | 339 | #767 |
| 2003 | 326 | #761 |
| 2002 | 269 | #856 |
| 2001 | 293 | #804 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Meadow?
In official American birth records, the name Meadow first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Meadow a popular girl name?
Meadow ranked #286 among girls in 2025 with 1,078 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #673.
When was the name Meadow most popular?
Meadow peaked in 2025, when 1,078 American girls received the name (ranked #286 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Meadow?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,670 newborn American girls was named Meadow. 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.