Seth
Boy name · #581 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Seth? In official American birth records, Seth has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Seth is currently the #581 boy name in the United States — 505 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #270, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,564 boys born in 2025 was named Seth.
Babies named Seth per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Seth first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 25 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 6,717 boys were named Seth — good for #63 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Seth against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Seth in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Seth is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Seth will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Seth is most common
Geography matters for names, and Seth is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Seth is most common in IN (0.9 per 1,000), OR (0.7 per 1,000), UT (0.7 per 1,000), KY (0.6 per 1,000), VA (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Seth is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Seth
Statistically, parents drawn to Seth tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Saul, Raul, Colby, Sergio, and Devin.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Seth | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 505 | #581 |
| 2024 | 535 | #555 |
| 2023 | 562 | #526 |
| 2022 | 651 | #471 |
| 2021 | 607 | #487 |
| 2020 | 688 | #432 |
| 2019 | 831 | #379 |
| 2018 | 860 | #375 |
| 2017 | 1,066 | #320 |
| 2016 | 1,169 | #303 |
| 2015 | 1,351 | #270 |
| 2014 | 1,506 | #250 |
| 2013 | 1,596 | #231 |
| 2012 | 1,815 | #209 |
| 2011 | 2,094 | #184 |
| 2010 | 2,383 | #164 |
| 2009 | 2,945 | #139 |
| 2008 | 3,283 | #128 |
| 2007 | 3,768 | #115 |
| 2006 | 4,328 | #103 |
| 2005 | 4,713 | #91 |
| 2004 | 5,188 | #80 |
| 2003 | 5,256 | #80 |
| 2002 | 5,740 | #72 |
| 2001 | 6,223 | #68 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Seth?
In official American birth records, the name Seth first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 25 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Seth a popular boy name?
Seth ranked #581 among boys in 2025 with 505 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #270.
When was the name Seth most popular?
Seth peaked in 2000, when 6,717 American boys received the name (ranked #63 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Seth?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,564 newborn American boys was named Seth. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.