Steele
Boy name · #1185 in 2025 · Uniqueness 46/100
In 2025, 174 baby boys were named Steele, placing it at #1185 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1588, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,345 boys born in 2025 was named Steele.
Babies named Steele per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 105-year story
Steele first appears in the Social Security records in 1920, when 11 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 174 babies and a rank of #1183. 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 Steele against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Steele in class?
Steele scores 46 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 Steele is most common
Geography matters for names, and Steele is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Steeles were TX (22), GA (12), CA (10), FL (10), AZ (9). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Steele
Statistically, parents drawn to Steele tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Syncere, Sultan, Slater, Shlomo, and Shmuel.
SyncereSultanSlaterShlomoShmuelWylieShimonShaya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Steele | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 174 | #1183 |
| 2024 | 137 | #1371 |
| 2023 | 143 | #1328 |
| 2022 | 120 | #1504 |
| 2021 | 112 | #1554 |
| 2020 | 106 | #1556 |
| 2019 | 104 | #1592 |
| 2018 | 133 | #1348 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1245 |
| 2016 | 134 | #1329 |
| 2015 | 101 | #1588 |
| 2014 | 94 | #1641 |
| 2013 | 89 | #1675 |
| 2012 | 92 | #1668 |
| 2011 | 71 | #1947 |
| 2010 | 53 | #2375 |
| 2009 | 54 | #2381 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2467 |
| 2007 | 53 | #2416 |
| 2006 | 51 | #2398 |
| 2005 | 44 | #2528 |
| 2004 | 37 | #2788 |
| 2003 | 57 | #2006 |
| 2002 | 46 | #2249 |
| 2001 | 42 | #2346 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Steele a popular boy name?
Steele ranked #1185 among boys in 2025 with 174 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1588.
When was the name Steele most popular?
Steele peaked in 2025, when 174 American boys received the name (ranked #1183 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Steele?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,345 newborn American boys was named Steele. It scores 46/100 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.