Noah
Boy name · #2 in 2025 · Uniqueness 27/100
In 2025, 20,358 baby boys were named Noah, placing it at #2 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 88 boys born in 2025 was named Noah.
Babies named Noah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Noah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 103 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 20,409 babies and a rank of #2. 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 Noah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Noah in class?
Noah scores 27 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. 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 Noah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Noah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Noahs were CA (2,607), TX (2,450), FL (1,749), NY (1,381), PA (744). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Noah
Statistically, parents drawn to Noah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Liam, Elijah, Henry, Oliver, and Micah.
LiamElijahHenryOliverMicahLeviLucasAlijah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Noah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20,358 | #2 |
| 2024 | 20,409 | #2 |
| 2023 | 19,116 | #2 |
| 2022 | 18,758 | #2 |
| 2021 | 18,919 | #2 |
| 2020 | 18,464 | #2 |
| 2019 | 19,178 | #2 |
| 2018 | 18,441 | #2 |
| 2017 | 18,507 | #2 |
| 2016 | 19,188 | #1 |
| 2015 | 19,680 | #1 |
| 2014 | 19,344 | #1 |
| 2013 | 18,291 | #1 |
| 2012 | 17,385 | #4 |
| 2011 | 16,883 | #5 |
| 2010 | 16,481 | #7 |
| 2009 | 17,262 | #9 |
| 2008 | 15,808 | #15 |
| 2007 | 16,605 | #14 |
| 2006 | 16,342 | #15 |
| 2005 | 13,905 | #23 |
| 2004 | 11,916 | #29 |
| 2003 | 11,843 | #31 |
| 2002 | 12,076 | #31 |
| 2001 | 13,494 | #28 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Noah a popular boy name?
Noah ranked #2 among boys in 2025 with 20,358 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #1.
When was the name Noah most popular?
Noah peaked in 2024, when 20,409 American boys received the name (ranked #2 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Noah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 88 newborn American boys was named Noah. It scores 27/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
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.