Bruce

Last seen for girls in 1995 at #13,386 · #536 for boys in 2025, 558 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1952 · 14,480 births
Debut · boys
47 births
In top 100 · boys
39 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
386,880
since 1880

Bruce over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201954peak #25, 1952boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#536558
2024—#536555
2023—#542547
2022—#563526
2021—#535549
2020—#498587
2019—#471624
2018—#473614
2017—#429722
2016—#440702
2015—#404766
2014—#401773
2013—#417710
2012—#422668
2011—#469574
2010—#533485
2009—#466586
2008—#478581
2007—#439636
2006—#481550
2005—#504490
2004—#474532
2003—#486509
2002—#467510
2001—#424579
2000—#432563
1999—#407589
1998—#383652
1997—#383631
1996—#364663
1995#13,3865#362665
1994—#331747
1993—#321822
1992—#291922
1991#11,5096#2611,039
1990—#2391,170
1989—#2221,212
1988#10,3866#2051,286
1987#7,9878#1991,304
1986#7,7498#1891,348
1985#4,63516#1831,412
1984#6,29110#1751,460
1983#5,82411#1781,439
1982#6,8889#1691,588
1981#8,1287#1641,634
1980#4,32717#1571,650
1979#5,42712#1521,712
1978#4,93113#1511,701
1977#4,94213#1481,700
1976#3,81217#1481,689
1975#5,9849#1401,789
1974#4,22714#1361,854
1973#3,97115#1341,914
1972#3,89415#1212,313
1971#3,06222#1082,973
1970#3,71216#943,482
1969#3,19918#724,041
1968#2,29628#614,486
1967#2,86819#555,067
1966#2,05832#535,843
1965#2,29327#506,325
1964#1,91838#467,890
1963#2,06133#439,275
1962#2,11331#4110,038
1961#2,15030#4010,705
1960#1,98233#3910,972
1959#1,82037#3811,914
1958#1,82036#3612,472
1957#1,95731#3413,882
1956#1,87133#3314,660
1955#1,83933#3214,082
1954#1,73935#3014,155
1953#1,78331#2814,048
1952#1,78131#2514,480
1951#1,61135#2614,090
1950#1,83527#2612,674
1949#1,62733#2612,265
1948#1,90125#2811,065
1947#1,94625#2910,524
1946#2,22818#328,459
1945#2,33914#485,615
1944#2,09617#515,262
1943#1,94920#515,431
1942#2,11717#505,385
1941#2,39713#514,302
1940#2,02916#553,789
1939#3,4297#643,233
1938#2,02116#663,127
1937#2,19614#702,810
1936#2,8579#732,630
1935#3,1568#772,447
1934#2,28913#782,401
1933#2,54011#912,037
1932#2,49012#981,935
1931#2,9729#1011,787
1930#2,20215#1091,712
1929#2,58712#1121,618
1928#1,89720#1121,628
1927#2,55213#1231,459
1926#3,04610#1271,413
1925#4,0287#1301,354
1924#2,97311#1331,311
1923#2,58713#1351,224
1922#2,95811#1421,106
1921#2,63313#1461,070
1920#2,01519#149996
1919#2,64012#151880
1918#2,67412#146988
1917#4,0836#156805
1916#2,02816#162740
1915#3,4347#171663
1914#2,8767#169530
1913#2,8276#175390
1912—#178328
1911#2,4635#197155
1910—#23998
1909—#185121
1908#2,1015#20499
1907—#21389
1906—#22477
1905—#20585
1904—#19887
1903—#22067
1902—#23460
1901—#21165
1900—#21086
1899—#20066
1898—#21964
1897—#22258
1896#1,4166#21669
1895#1,5925#21365
1894—#21163
1893—#21264
1892—#22660
1891—#22750
1890—#21659
1889—#20562
1888—#26245
1887—#24144
1886—#22855
1885—#21356
1884—#26940
1883—#21550
1882—#19366
1881—#27034
1880—#24147
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Bruce was already there! It came in at #241, and was given to 47 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1881, when fewer than 48 boys a year got the name.

Where Bruce is popular in 1954

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #22 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 100 boysAKMaine: #18 for boys · 143 births · 1 in 72 boysMEVermont: #18 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 71 boysVTNew Hampshire: #20 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 68 boysNHWashington: #26 for boys · 297 births · 1 in 104 boysWAIdaho: #22 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 93 boysIDMontana: #27 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 121 boysMTNorth Dakota: #20 for boys · 112 births · 1 in 69 boysNDMinnesota: #17 for boys · 581 births · 1 in 67 boysMNIllinois: #29 for boys · 849 births · 1 in 125 boysILWisconsin: #23 for boys · 481 births · 1 in 92 boysWIMichigan: #30 for boys · 753 births · 1 in 124 boysMINew York: #28 for boys · 1,315 births · 1 in 129 boysNYMassachusetts: #25 for boys · 539 births · 1 in 99 boysMARhode Island: #28 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 101 boysRIOregon: #28 for boys · 169 births · 1 in 107 boysORNevada: #28 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 108 boysNVWyoming: #31 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 128 boysWYSouth Dakota: #26 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 87 boysSDIowa: #30 for boys · 289 births · 1 in 107 boysIAIndiana: #31 for boys · 411 births · 1 in 128 boysINOhio: #29 for boys · 894 births · 1 in 122 boysOHPennsylvania: #28 for boys · 984 births · 1 in 122 boysPANew Jersey: #27 for boys · 562 births · 1 in 100 boysNJConnecticut: #25 for boys · 269 births · 1 in 88 boysCTCalifornia: #27 for boys · 1,204 births · 1 in 128 boysCAUtah: #29 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 126 boysUTColorado: #31 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 137 boysCONebraska: #34 for boys · 127 births · 1 in 121 boysNEMissouri: #34 for boys · 289 births · 1 in 162 boysMOKentucky: #42 for boys · 183 births · 1 in 202 boysKYWest Virginia: #46 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 217 boysWVVirginia: #37 for boys · 238 births · 1 in 184 boysVAMaryland: #30 for boys · 222 births · 1 in 136 boysMDDelaware: #23 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 99 boysDEArizona: #38 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 188 boysAZNew Mexico: #53 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 219 boysNMKansas: #31 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 145 boysKSArkansas: #57 for boys · 76 births · 1 in 276 boysARTennessee: #68 for boys · 125 births · 1 in 333 boysTNNorth Carolina: #57 for boys · 196 births · 1 in 281 boysNCSouth Carolina: #76 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 311 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #32 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 156 boysDCOklahoma: #43 for boys · 121 births · 1 in 205 boysOKLouisiana: #54 for boys · 182 births · 1 in 221 boysLAMississippi: #93 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 413 boysMSAlabama: #68 for boys · 114 births · 1 in 340 boysALGeorgia: #66 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 294 boysGAHawaii: #34 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 132 boysHITexas: #51 for boys · 468 births · 1 in 259 boysTXFlorida: #28 for boys · 270 births · 1 in 152 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Minnesota#17 · 1 in 67
  2. Vermont#18 · 1 in 71
  3. Maine#18 · 1 in 72
  4. New Hampshire#20 · 1 in 68
  5. North Dakota#20 · 1 in 69

Best ever in a state: #12 in New Hampshire, 1947.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Minnesota#175811 in 67
Maine#181431 in 72
Vermont#18561 in 71
New Hampshire#20831 in 68
North Dakota#201121 in 69
Alaska#22301 in 100
Idaho#22801 in 93
Delaware#23431 in 99
Wisconsin#234811 in 92
Connecticut#252691 in 88
Massachusetts#255391 in 99
South Dakota#26941 in 87
Washington#262971 in 104
California#271,2041 in 128
Montana#27621 in 121
New Jersey#275621 in 100
Florida#282701 in 152
Nevada#28211 in 108
New York#281,3151 in 129
Oregon#281691 in 107
Pennsylvania#289841 in 122
Rhode Island#28911 in 101
Illinois#298491 in 125
Ohio#298941 in 122
Utah#29901 in 126
Iowa#302891 in 107
Maryland#302221 in 136
Michigan#307531 in 124
Colorado#311381 in 137
Indiana#314111 in 128
Kansas#311671 in 145
Wyoming#31281 in 128
District of Columbia#32941 in 156
Hawaii#34521 in 132
Missouri#342891 in 162
Nebraska#341271 in 121
Virginia#372381 in 184
Arizona#38691 in 188
Kentucky#421831 in 202
Oklahoma#431211 in 205
West Virginia#461041 in 217
Texas#514681 in 259
New Mexico#53531 in 219
Louisiana#541821 in 221
Arkansas#57761 in 276
North Carolina#571961 in 281
Georgia#661651 in 294
Alabama#681141 in 340
Tennessee#681251 in 333
South Carolina#761011 in 311
Mississippi#93711 in 413

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Bruce
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • Held #536 since 2024
  • 38 spots since 2020 (#498 → #536)
  • 132 spots since 2015 (#404 → #536)
  • Biggest jump: 77 spots in 1882 (#270 → #193)
  • Biggest drop: 67 spots in 2010 (#466 → #533)
Rise & fade · boys
72 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1952 at #25 (14,480 births)
  • Births halved by 1965, 13 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 39 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 39 yrs · run 1932–1970
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 134
  • Highest: 1 in 134 boys born in 1951 were named Bruce (0.75%)
  • Latest: 1 in 3,061 boys born in 2025 (0.03%)
  • Its best rank, #25 in 1952, was only 1 in 134 (0.74%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 35.3% of all boys named Bruce (136,457) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s499#193 (1882)#234
1890s618#200 (1899)#216
1900s836#185 (1909)#210
1910s5,577#146 (1918)#174
1920s13,179#112 (1928)#131
1930s24,119#64 (1939)#83
1940s72,097#26 (1949)#42
1950s136,457#25 (1952)#31
1960s74,642#39 (1960)#50
1970s21,127#94 (1970)#133
1980s14,333#157 (1980)#184
1990s7,900#239 (1990)#334
2000s5,536#424 (2001)#465
2010s6,638#401 (2014)#446
2020s3,322#498 (2020)#535

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Bruce in 1954

girls
#1,739
35 births · 1 in 55,483 girls
boys
#30
14,155 births · 1 in 144 boys

Top girls' names in 1954

  1. #1Mary68,019
  2. #2Linda55,371
  3. #3Deborah54,674
  4. #4Patricia49,149
  5. #5Susan47,162
  6. #6Debra45,896
  7. #7Barbara36,368
  8. #8Karen32,456
  9. #9Nancy30,270
  10. #10Cynthia27,615
  11. #1,739Bruce35

Top boys' names in 1954

  1. #1Michael88,568
  2. #2Robert86,331
  3. #3James86,311
  4. #4John81,168
  5. #5David79,556
  6. #6William61,426
  7. #7Richard57,042
  8. #8Thomas47,159
  9. #9Gary37,920
  10. #10Charles37,463
  11. #30Bruce14,155
More about 1954

girls

1,941,915 girls got a published name in 1954; 1 in 55,483 of them was named Bruce, which outranked 73.8% of the 6,625 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Bruce
  1. #1,702Wannetta36
  2. #1,702Willette36
  3. #1,702Zenobia36
  4. #1,739Bruce35
  5. #1,739Adria35
  6. #1,739Belia35
  7. #1,739Betsey35
  8. #1,769Adella34
  9. #1,769Alethia34
  10. #1,769Bernie34

Tied with 29 names at #1,739; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1953
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,699Sherree#2,699 → #1,000
  2. ↑ 1,434Sabrina#2,236 → #802
  3. ↑ 932Valinda#1,738 → #806
  4. ↑ 748Sheree#1,071 → #323
  5. ↑ 421Sherie#1,248 → #827
Fallers
  1. ↓ 396Enola#948 → #1,344
  2. ↓ 311Ila#782 → #1,093
  3. ↓ 302Nancie#816 → #1,118
  4. ↓ 282Arline#904 → #1,186
  5. ↓ 269Candyce#944 → #1,213

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,038,751 boys got a published name in 1954; 1 in 144 of them was named Bruce, which outranked 99.3% of the 4,360 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Bruce
  1. #27Terry15,553
  2. #28Kevin15,322
  3. #29Douglas14,703
  4. #30Bruce14,155
  5. #31Jerry13,681
  6. #32Anthony13,124
  7. #33Randy12,638
Biggest movers since 1953
Risers
  1. ↑ 592Ricci#1,331 → #739
  2. ↑ 470Demetrius#1,357 → #887
  3. ↑ 382Crawford#1,378 → #996
  4. ↑ 310Gavin#1,139 → #829
  5. ↑ 296Dino#1,058 → #762
Fallers
  1. ↓ 504Arlin#878 → #1,382
  2. ↓ 347Adan#895 → #1,242
  3. ↓ 345Dayton#966 → #1,311
  4. ↓ 302Garey#966 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 293Bartholomew#975 → #1,268

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1954 →