Major
Last seen for girls in 2024 at #15,293 · #669 for boys in 2025, 407 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1889 · 44 births
- Debut · boys
- 28 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 21,673since 1880
Major over time
Rank among boys' names. Major has never cracked the top 200 here.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #669 | 407 | |
| 2024 | #15,293 | 5 | #580 | 491 |
| 2023 | #15,194 | 5 | #514 | 579 |
| 2022 | — | #441 | 705 | |
| 2021 | #15,251 | 5 | #411 | 759 |
| 2020 | #11,090 | 8 | #349 | 913 |
| 2019 | #13,799 | 6 | #350 | 948 |
| 2018 | #9,151 | 11 | #349 | 944 |
| 2017 | #11,615 | 8 | #329 | 1,042 |
| 2016 | — | #348 | 990 | |
| 2015 | — | #361 | 913 | |
| 2014 | #13,069 | 7 | #350 | 934 |
| 2013 | #16,547 | 5 | #366 | 854 |
| 2012 | — | #486 | 556 | |
| 2011 | — | #990 | 197 | |
| 2010 | — | #878 | 238 | |
| 2009 | — | #1,045 | 182 | |
| 2008 | — | #1,692 | 90 | |
| 2007 | — | #1,638 | 94 | |
| 2006 | — | #1,698 | 83 | |
| 2005 | — | #1,772 | 74 | |
| 2004 | — | #1,701 | 75 | |
| 2003 | — | #1,870 | 63 | |
| 2002 | — | #1,571 | 78 | |
| 2001 | — | #1,600 | 74 | |
| 2000 | — | #1,895 | 55 | |
| 1999 | — | #2,608 | 33 | |
| 1998 | — | #2,394 | 36 | |
| 1997 | — | #2,201 | 39 | |
| 1996 | — | #2,254 | 36 | |
| 1995 | — | #1,955 | 43 | |
| 1994 | — | #1,851 | 46 | |
| 1993 | — | #1,601 | 56 | |
| 1992 | — | #1,750 | 48 | |
| 1991 | — | #1,632 | 51 | |
| 1990 | — | #1,420 | 62 | |
| 1989 | — | #1,268 | 73 | |
| 1988 | — | #1,329 | 60 | |
| 1987 | — | #1,587 | 44 | |
| 1986 | — | #1,385 | 51 | |
| 1985 | — | #1,614 | 39 | |
| 1984 | — | #1,265 | 53 | |
| 1983 | — | #1,361 | 47 | |
| 1982 | — | #1,310 | 51 | |
| 1981 | — | #1,095 | 69 | |
| 1980 | — | #1,125 | 65 | |
| 1979 | — | #1,193 | 58 | |
| 1978 | — | #1,214 | 54 | |
| 1977 | — | #1,252 | 50 | |
| 1976 | — | #1,304 | 46 | |
| 1975 | — | #1,191 | 50 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,073 | 59 | |
| 1973 | — | #1,054 | 59 | |
| 1972 | — | #1,069 | 57 | |
| 1971 | — | #990 | 67 | |
| 1970 | — | #940 | 72 | |
| 1969 | — | #916 | 69 | |
| 1968 | — | #996 | 55 | |
| 1967 | — | #867 | 68 | |
| 1966 | — | #961 | 57 | |
| 1965 | — | #826 | 79 | |
| 1964 | — | #831 | 83 | |
| 1963 | — | #855 | 77 | |
| 1962 | — | #926 | 67 | |
| 1961 | — | #940 | 66 | |
| 1960 | — | #897 | 71 | |
| 1959 | — | #747 | 105 | |
| 1958 | — | #747 | 97 | |
| 1957 | — | #750 | 100 | |
| 1956 | — | #741 | 98 | |
| 1955 | — | #720 | 103 | |
| 1954 | — | #684 | 111 | |
| 1953 | — | #657 | 116 | |
| 1952 | — | #645 | 116 | |
| 1951 | — | #601 | 134 | |
| 1950 | — | #586 | 134 | |
| 1949 | — | #656 | 110 | |
| 1948 | — | #617 | 120 | |
| 1947 | — | #618 | 121 | |
| 1946 | — | #619 | 108 | |
| 1945 | — | #544 | 121 | |
| 1944 | — | #536 | 129 | |
| 1943 | — | #565 | 126 | |
| 1942 | — | #556 | 122 | |
| 1941 | — | #636 | 92 | |
| 1940 | — | #513 | 127 | |
| 1939 | #4,250 | 5 | #563 | 103 |
| 1938 | — | #597 | 98 | |
| 1937 | #3,800 | 6 | #600 | 93 |
| 1936 | — | #566 | 103 | |
| 1935 | — | #624 | 89 | |
| 1934 | — | #606 | 95 | |
| 1933 | — | #555 | 107 | |
| 1932 | — | #515 | 125 | |
| 1931 | — | #605 | 95 | |
| 1930 | — | #498 | 143 | |
| 1929 | — | #527 | 122 | |
| 1928 | — | #493 | 150 | |
| 1927 | — | #502 | 145 | |
| 1926 | — | #496 | 147 | |
| 1925 | — | #577 | 116 | |
| 1924 | — | #512 | 150 | |
| 1923 | #4,967 | 5 | #556 | 124 |
| 1922 | — | #502 | 151 | |
| 1921 | — | #483 | 162 | |
| 1920 | — | #469 | 169 | |
| 1919 | — | #435 | 183 | |
| 1918 | — | #480 | 153 | |
| 1917 | — | #447 | 159 | |
| 1916 | — | #499 | 130 | |
| 1915 | — | #445 | 151 | |
| 1914 | — | #462 | 109 | |
| 1913 | — | #430 | 98 | |
| 1912 | — | #474 | 68 | |
| 1911 | — | #404 | 50 | |
| 1910 | — | #383 | 46 | |
| 1909 | — | #321 | 51 | |
| 1908 | — | #374 | 38 | |
| 1907 | — | #417 | 30 | |
| 1906 | — | #330 | 39 | |
| 1905 | — | #303 | 44 | |
| 1904 | — | #360 | 31 | |
| 1903 | — | #312 | 36 | |
| 1902 | — | #277 | 46 | |
| 1901 | — | #399 | 22 | |
| 1900 | — | #290 | 51 | |
| 1899 | — | #257 | 42 | |
| 1898 | — | #279 | 42 | |
| 1897 | — | #288 | 39 | |
| 1896 | — | #282 | 42 | |
| 1895 | — | #310 | 34 | |
| 1894 | — | #289 | 37 | |
| 1893 | — | #273 | 41 | |
| 1892 | — | #284 | 41 | |
| 1891 | — | #277 | 34 | |
| 1890 | — | #335 | 27 | |
| 1889 | — | #244 | 44 | |
| 1888 | — | #289 | 37 | |
| 1887 | — | #250 | 40 | |
| 1886 | — | #309 | 31 | |
| 1885 | — | #274 | 37 | |
| 1884 | — | #288 | 36 | |
| 1883 | — | #259 | 41 | |
| 1882 | — | #258 | 44 | |
| 1881 | — | #244 | 40 | |
| 1880 | — | #320 | 28 | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Major was already there! It came in at #320, and was given to 28 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1901, when fewer than 23 boys a year got the name.
Where Major is popular in 1939
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Mississippi#218 · 1 in 1,624
- Alabama#272 · 1 in 2,541
- North Carolina#295 · 1 in 3,015
- Virginia#308 · 1 in 3,303
- South Carolina#327 · 1 in 3,400
Best ever in a state: #80 in District of Columbia, 2017.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #218 | 13 | 1 in 1,624 |
| Alabama | #272 | 11 | 1 in 2,541 |
| North Carolina | #295 | 12 | 1 in 3,015 |
| Virginia | #308 | 7 | 1 in 3,303 |
| South Carolina | #327 | 6 | 1 in 3,400 |
| Georgia | #346 | 8 | 1 in 3,818 |
| Tennessee | #388 | 5 | 1 in 5,411 |
| Texas | #619 | 8 | 1 in 7,358 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| California | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Illinois | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| New York | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
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 Major
- 89 spots since 2024 (#580 → #669)
- 320 spots since 2020 (#349 → #669)
- 308 spots since 2015 (#361 → #669)
- Biggest jump: 504 spots in 2012 (#990 → #486)
- Biggest drop: 150 spots in 1960 (#747 → #897)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1889 at #244 (44 births)
- Births halved by 1901, 12 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 108 yrs · run 1880–1971
- Highest: 1 in 1,776 boys born in 2017 were named Major (0.06%)
- Latest: 1 in 4,197 boys born in 2025 (0.02%)
- Its best rank, #244 in 1889, was only 1 in 2,513 (0.04%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 35.1% of all boys named Major (7,616) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 378 | #244 (1889) | #274 |
| 1890s | 379 | #257 (1899) | #287 |
| 1900s | 388 | #277 (1902) | #338 |
| 1910s | 1,147 | #383 (1910) | #446 |
| 1920s | 1,436 | #469 (1920) | #512 |
| 1930s | 1,051 | #498 (1930) | #573 |
| 1940s | 1,176 | #513 (1940) | #586 |
| 1950s | 1,114 | #586 (1950) | #688 |
| 1960s | 692 | #826 (1965) | #902 |
| 1970s | 572 | #940 (1970) | #1,128 |
| 1980s | 552 | #1,095 (1981) | #1,334 |
| 1990s | 450 | #1,420 (1990) | #1,967 |
| 2000s | 868 | #1,045 (2009) | #1,648 |
| 2010s | 7,616 | #329 (2017) | #481 |
| 2020s | 3,854 | #349 (2020) | #494 |
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.
Major in 1939
Top girls' names in 1939
Top boys' names in 1939
More about 1939
girls
1,096,612 girls got a published name in 1939; 1 in 219,322 of them was named Major, which outranked 14.1% of the 4,950 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Tied with 700 names at #4,250; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,106,852 boys got a published name in 1939; 1 in 10,746 of them was named Major, which outranked 85.8% of the 3,968 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).