Porter
Boy name · #560 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Porter? In official American birth records, Porter has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Porter ranks #560 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 531 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #375, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,390 boys born in 2025 was named Porter.
Babies named Porter per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Porter first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 38 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 862 boys were named Porter — good for #375 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Porter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Porter in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Porter is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Porter will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Porter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Porter is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Porter is most common in UT (1.4 per 1,000), MN (0.9 per 1,000), TN (0.9 per 1,000), WI (0.8 per 1,000), KS (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Porter is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Porter
Statistically, parents drawn to Porter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gunner, Foster, Zander, Karter, and Jagger.
GunnerFosterZanderKarterJaggerPalmerDexterGunnar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Porter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 531 | #560 |
| 2024 | 464 | #617 |
| 2023 | 605 | #499 |
| 2022 | 592 | #506 |
| 2021 | 698 | #443 |
| 2020 | 707 | #424 |
| 2019 | 613 | #478 |
| 2018 | 749 | #418 |
| 2017 | 802 | #398 |
| 2016 | 749 | #419 |
| 2015 | 862 | #375 |
| 2014 | 857 | #368 |
| 2013 | 778 | #383 |
| 2012 | 644 | #430 |
| 2011 | 602 | #449 |
| 2010 | 602 | #446 |
| 2009 | 578 | #473 |
| 2008 | 574 | #482 |
| 2007 | 566 | #474 |
| 2006 | 553 | #479 |
| 2005 | 405 | #575 |
| 2004 | 336 | #628 |
| 2003 | 314 | #646 |
| 2002 | 265 | #687 |
| 2001 | 225 | #762 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Porter?
In official American birth records, the name Porter first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 38 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Porter a popular boy name?
Porter ranked #560 among boys in 2025 with 531 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #375.
When was the name Porter most popular?
Porter peaked in 2015, when 862 American boys received the name (ranked #375 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Porter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,390 newborn American boys was named Porter. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.