Rune
Boy name · #1791 in 2025 · Uniqueness 40/100
Rune ranks #1791 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 90 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4407, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,000 boys born in 2025 was named Rune.
Babies named Rune per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 24-year story
Rune first appears in the Social Security records in 2001, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 90 babies and a rank of #1778. 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 Rune against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rune in class?
Rune scores 40 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 Rune is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rune is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Runes were CA (8), TX (7), VA (7), WA (7), OH (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Rune
Statistically, parents drawn to Rune tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rhone, Rayne, Rowe, Raife, and Ryle.
RhoneRayneRoweRaifeRyleRookRainRafe
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rune | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90 | #1778 |
| 2024 | 82 | #1921 |
| 2023 | 62 | #2277 |
| 2022 | 65 | #2217 |
| 2021 | 35 | #3297 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 29 | #3716 |
| 2018 | 37 | #3106 |
| 2017 | 25 | #4105 |
| 2016 | 19 | #4943 |
| 2015 | 22 | #4407 |
| 2014 | 20 | #4702 |
| 2013 | 17 | #5171 |
| 2012 | 18 | #5035 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6578 |
| 2010 | 17 | #5251 |
| 2009 | 16 | #5554 |
| 2008 | 10 | #7698 |
| 2007 | 7 | #9788 |
| 2006 | 17 | #5072 |
| 2005 | 15 | #5278 |
| 2004 | 21 | #4129 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 8 | #7536 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rune a popular boy name?
Rune ranked #1791 among boys in 2025 with 90 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4407.
When was the name Rune most popular?
Rune peaked in 2025, when 90 American boys received the name (ranked #1778 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rune?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,000 newborn American boys was named Rune. It scores 40/100 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.