Ralph
Boy name · #1046 in 2025 · Rare
Ralph is currently the #1046 boy name in the United States — 211 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1065, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,531 boys born in 2025 was named Ralph.
The 145-year story
Ralph first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 317 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 8,860 boys were named Ralph — good for #23 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Ralph per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ralph against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ralph in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ralph is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ralph will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ralph is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ralph is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Ralph is most common in NY (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ralph is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ralph
Statistically, parents drawn to Ralph tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rudolph, Howard, Ernest, Harold, and Leroy.
RudolphHowardErnestHaroldLeroyCecilHarryVernon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ralph | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 211 | #1046 |
| 2024 | 183 | #1145 |
| 2023 | 169 | #1192 |
| 2022 | 184 | #1138 |
| 2021 | 186 | #1111 |
| 2020 | 180 | #1101 |
| 2019 | 203 | #1023 |
| 2018 | 219 | #950 |
| 2017 | 185 | #1066 |
| 2016 | 205 | #993 |
| 2015 | 186 | #1065 |
| 2014 | 193 | #1040 |
| 2013 | 194 | #1008 |
| 2012 | 180 | #1057 |
| 2011 | 208 | #953 |
| 2010 | 205 | #966 |
| 2009 | 211 | #953 |
| 2008 | 248 | #855 |
| 2007 | 239 | #868 |
| 2006 | 278 | #759 |
| 2005 | 258 | #769 |
| 2004 | 270 | #710 |
| 2003 | 300 | #658 |
| 2002 | 314 | #629 |
| 2001 | 319 | #610 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ralph a popular boy name?
Ralph ranked #1046 among boys in 2025 with 211 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1065.
When was the name Ralph most popular?
Ralph peaked in 1921, when 8,860 American boys received the name (ranked #23 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ralph?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,531 newborn American boys was named Ralph. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.