West
Boy name · #1253 in 2025 · Rare
West is currently the #1253 boy name in the United States — 159 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1910, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,321 boys born in 2025 was named West.
The 145-year story
West first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 159 babies and a rank of #1252. 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 West per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare West against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another West in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common West is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your West will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where West is most common
State-level data for West is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like West
Statistically, parents drawn to West tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Quest, Everest, Forest, Whit, and Wylie.
QuestEverestForestWhitWylieWynnRiotWesten
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named West | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 159 | #1252 |
| 2024 | 145 | #1324 |
| 2023 | 87 | #1832 |
| 2022 | 130 | #1414 |
| 2021 | 90 | #1770 |
| 2020 | 81 | #1833 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1652 |
| 2018 | 82 | #1838 |
| 2017 | 80 | #1844 |
| 2016 | 72 | #1991 |
| 2015 | 76 | #1910 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2230 |
| 2013 | 78 | #1827 |
| 2012 | 74 | #1923 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2145 |
| 2010 | 52 | #2402 |
| 2009 | 60 | #2203 |
| 2008 | 42 | #2828 |
| 2007 | 40 | #2920 |
| 2006 | 42 | #2744 |
| 2005 | 25 | #3710 |
| 2004 | 29 | #3285 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 10 | #6522 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
Is West a popular boy name?
West ranked #1253 among boys in 2025 with 159 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1910.
When was the name West most popular?
West peaked in 2025, when 159 American boys received the name (ranked #1252 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name West?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 11,321 newborn American boys was named West. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.