Ransom
Boy name · #1688 in 2025 · Uniqueness 71/100
Ransom is currently the #1688 boy name in the United States — 97 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1567, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,557 boys born in 2025 was named Ransom.
Babies named Ransom per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Ransom first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 111 babies and a rank of #1589. 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 Ransom against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ransom in class?
Ransom scores 71 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Ransom will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ransom is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ransom is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Ransoms were TX (11), CA (7), TN (7), NC (6), KY (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ransom
Statistically, parents drawn to Ransom tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Shalom, Avrohom, Sholom, Taysom, and Shulem.
ShalomAvrohomSholomTaysomShulemRadleyWisdomRaziel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ransom | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97 | #1688 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1650 |
| 2023 | 105 | #1640 |
| 2022 | 111 | #1589 |
| 2021 | 102 | #1635 |
| 2020 | 102 | #1592 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 78 | #1901 |
| 2017 | 100 | #1605 |
| 2016 | 110 | #1522 |
| 2015 | 103 | #1567 |
| 2014 | 93 | #1657 |
| 2013 | 96 | #1605 |
| 2012 | 78 | #1863 |
| 2011 | 70 | #1968 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1778 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2007 | 60 | #2213 |
| 2006 | 56 | #2248 |
| 2005 | 51 | #2297 |
| 2004 | 35 | #2887 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 31 | #2943 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ransom a popular boy name?
Ransom ranked #1688 among boys in 2025 with 97 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1567.
When was the name Ransom most popular?
Ransom peaked in 2022, when 111 American boys received the name (ranked #1589 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ransom?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,557 newborn American boys was named Ransom. It scores 71/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.