River
Girl name · #220 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name River? In official American birth records, River has been tracked continuously since 1988, giving it 37 years of documented American history.
River ranks #220 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,401 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #348, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,285 girls born in 2025 was named River.
The 37-year story
River first appears in the Social Security records in 1988, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 1,930 babies and a rank of #150. 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.
Babies named River per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare River against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another River in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common River 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 River is most common
Geography matters for names, and River is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, River is most common in ME (4.2 per 1,000), AR (3.1 per 1,000), WV (3 per 1,000), NH (2.6 per 1,000), UT (2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where River is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like River
Statistically, parents drawn to River tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ember, Clover, Denver, Palmer, and Sawyer.
EmberCloverDenverPalmerSawyerSaylorWinterWynter
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named River | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,401 | #219 |
| 2024 | 1,442 | #215 |
| 2023 | 1,587 | #192 |
| 2022 | 1,930 | #150 |
| 2021 | 1,886 | #149 |
| 2020 | 1,562 | #184 |
| 2019 | 1,441 | #211 |
| 2018 | 1,333 | #244 |
| 2017 | 1,181 | #270 |
| 2016 | 1,132 | #283 |
| 2015 | 951 | #348 |
| 2014 | 708 | #453 |
| 2013 | 488 | #585 |
| 2012 | 412 | #683 |
| 2011 | 293 | #891 |
| 2010 | 262 | #973 |
| 2009 | 281 | #949 |
| 2008 | 249 | #1049 |
| 2007 | 229 | #1129 |
| 2006 | 181 | #1295 |
| 2005 | 92 | #2030 |
| 2004 | 100 | #1883 |
| 2003 | 72 | #2321 |
| 2002 | 67 | #2379 |
| 2001 | 72 | #2236 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name River?
In official American birth records, the name River first appeared in 1988 (over 37 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 37 years.
Is River a popular girl name?
River ranked #220 among girls in 2025 with 1,401 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #348.
When was the name River most popular?
River peaked in 2022, when 1,930 American girls received the name (ranked #150 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name River?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,285 newborn American girls was named River. 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.