Rook
Boy name · #1969 in 2025 · Uniqueness 41/100
Rook is currently the #1969 boy name in the United States — 78 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3022, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,077 boys born in 2025 was named Rook.
The 24-year story
Rook first appears in the Social Security records in 2001, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 78 babies and a rank of #1959. 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 Rook per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rook against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rook in class?
Rook scores 41 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Rook is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rook is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Rooks were UT (9), TX (6), CA (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 Rook
Statistically, parents drawn to Rook tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rumi, Rune, Roen, Rowyn, and Rain.
RumiRuneRoenRowynRainRakanRoweRamir
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rook | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | #1959 |
| 2024 | 60 | #2345 |
| 2023 | 71 | #2078 |
| 2022 | 53 | #2563 |
| 2021 | 45 | #2775 |
| 2020 | 36 | #3136 |
| 2019 | 48 | #2656 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 31 | #3518 |
| 2016 | 30 | #3596 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3022 |
| 2014 | 40 | #2885 |
| 2013 | 30 | #3497 |
| 2012 | 25 | #4003 |
| 2011 | 20 | #4659 |
| 2010 | 20 | #4678 |
| 2009 | 5 | #12491 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 8 | #8915 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8732 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
| 2003 | 6 | #9581 |
| 2001 | 6 | #9243 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rook a popular boy name?
Rook ranked #1969 among boys in 2025 with 78 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3022.
When was the name Rook most popular?
Rook peaked in 2025, when 78 American boys received the name (ranked #1959 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rook?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,077 newborn American boys was named Rook. It scores 41/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.