Ralph

Last seen for girls in 1990 at #12,958 · #1,046 for boys in 2025, 211 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1917 · 7,391 births
Debut · boys
317 births
In top 100 · boys
84 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
414,018
since 1880

Ralph over time

boys

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

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201929peak #21, 1917boys
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—#1,046211
2024—#1,145183
2023—#1,192169
2022—#1,138184
2021—#1,111186
2020—#1,101180
2019—#1,023203
2018—#950219
2017—#1,066185
2016—#993205
2015—#1,065186
2014—#1,040193
2013—#1,008194
2012—#1,057180
2011—#953208
2010—#966205
2009—#953211
2008—#855248
2007—#868239
2006—#759278
2005—#769258
2004—#710270
2003—#658300
2002—#629314
2001—#610319
2000—#583342
1999—#570343
1998—#582333
1997—#544364
1996—#503415
1995—#502413
1994—#490422
1993—#428520
1992—#441499
1991—#405562
1990#12,9585#385603
1989—#347662
1988#10,3866#339628
1987#9,8256#297724
1986#9,5456#286728
1985#10,6775#277753
1984#6,29110#270771
1983#10,2755#249846
1982—#243949
1981#9,1106#247898
1980#7,4188#2291,039
1979#6,18910#2161,080
1978#5,21412#2051,079
1977#4,94213#1871,253
1976#6,6118#1931,161
1975#4,37014#1731,343
1974#6,9007#1741,371
1973#3,48118#1571,558
1972#3,89415#1591,671
1971#5,13610#1491,991
1970#3,11021#1472,248
1969#3,31817#1262,416
1968#2,78921#1272,325
1967#2,63222#1172,553
1966#2,45324#1122,783
1965#3,73312#1033,225
1964#3,37915#1033,564
1963#3,17616#993,931
1962#3,03317#974,180
1961#2,54323#954,443
1960#2,98917#894,770
1959#2,67819#845,048
1958#2,44922#785,453
1957#2,34723#765,709
1956#2,32123#676,041
1955#2,83916#675,965
1954#2,69517#616,311
1953#2,59517#596,513
1952#2,58117#566,469
1951#2,57716#516,525
1950#2,65215#526,406
1949#2,72614#506,748
1948#2,18820#516,915
1947#2,20020#507,389
1946#1,97022#486,587
1945#1,99318#445,785
1944#2,19916#426,273
1943#2,86111#406,771
1942#2,11717#386,637
1941#2,19015#386,040
1940#1,47727#375,838
1939#1,68421#355,959
1938#1,80519#356,013
1937#1,78419#345,923
1936#1,37528#316,029
1935#1,26432#326,090
1934#1,22134#316,282
1933#1,17936#296,185
1932#1,29332#276,727
1931#1,04345#256,960
1930#1,10145#257,634
1929#94158#267,715
1928#99456#248,100
1927#99059#248,434
1926#1,14844#248,455
1925#1,17643#258,467
1924#1,18844#238,766
1923#1,19742#238,629
1922#99756#238,484
1921#1,18442#238,860
1920#1,17142#228,556
1919#1,09045#227,709
1918#1,41130#228,162
1917#1,33730#217,391
1916#1,27832#217,085
1915#1,47524#216,816
1914#1,89613#215,009
1913#1,09125#223,963
1912#1,47714#233,435
1911#1,9567#241,674
1910#1,9357#281,278
1909#2,2085#301,091
1908#1,8626#251,138
1907—#29997
1906#1,9515#26984
1905—#27938
1904—#28899
1903#1,7925#29807
1902#1,4387#28866
1901#1,6795#29682
1900—#31896
1899#1,5965#29742
1898—#31803
1897#1,5555#32697
1896—#30746
1895#1,5925#30736
1894#1,4855#31692
1893—#31636
1892—#30725
1891#1,0068#28587
1890#1,3385#32587
1889#1,2795#39495
1888#1,1366#36547
1887—#38463
1886—#41440
1885—#44422
1884#1,0245#40464
1883—#45385
1882—#43407
1881—#45329
1880—#54317
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Ralph was already there! It came in at #54, and was given to 317 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2007–2025, when fewer than 250 boys a year got the name.

Where Ralph is popular in 1929

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Ralph, so not publishedAKMaine: #21 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 84 boysMEVermont: #28 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 100 boysVTNew Hampshire: #25 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 97 boysNHWashington: #31 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 138 boysWAIdaho: #16 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 95 boysIDMontana: #27 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 129 boysMTNorth Dakota: #21 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 94 boysNDMinnesota: #28 for boys · 151 births · 1 in 130 boysMNIllinois: #22 for boys · 457 births · 1 in 125 boysILWisconsin: #24 for boys · 203 births · 1 in 118 boysWIMichigan: #30 for boys · 283 births · 1 in 149 boysMINew York: #36 for boys · 684 births · 1 in 139 boysNYMassachusetts: #25 for boys · 269 births · 1 in 117 boysMARhode Island: #31 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 110 boysRIOregon: #25 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 113 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Ralph, so not publishedNVWyoming: #25 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 93 boysWYSouth Dakota: #38 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 136 boysSDIowa: #24 for boys · 142 births · 1 in 133 boysIAIndiana: #18 for boys · 271 births · 1 in 92 boysINOhio: #20 for boys · 567 births · 1 in 90 boysOHPennsylvania: #26 for boys · 669 births · 1 in 120 boysPANew Jersey: #30 for boys · 230 births · 1 in 126 boysNJConnecticut: #28 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 113 boysCTCalifornia: #24 for boys · 312 births · 1 in 117 boysCAUtah: #24 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 105 boysUTColorado: #22 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 107 boysCONebraska: #23 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 124 boysNEMissouri: #20 for boys · 252 births · 1 in 108 boysMOKentucky: #27 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 126 boysKYWest Virginia: #19 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 95 boysWVVirginia: #27 for boys · 166 births · 1 in 131 boysVAMaryland: #34 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 142 boysMDDelaware: #21 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 87 boysDEArizona: #31 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 130 boysAZNew Mexico: #23 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 113 boysNMKansas: #18 for boys · 136 births · 1 in 105 boysKSArkansas: #41 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 198 boysARTennessee: #31 for boys · 173 births · 1 in 140 boysTNNorth Carolina: #21 for boys · 290 births · 1 in 114 boysNCSouth Carolina: #34 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 172 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #27 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 119 boysDCOklahoma: #32 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 152 boysOKLouisiana: #68 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 284 boysLAMississippi: #76 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 385 boysMSAlabama: #34 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 172 boysALGeorgia: #25 for boys · 202 births · 1 in 133 boysGAHawaii: #79 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 360 boysHITexas: #65 for boys · 185 births · 1 in 313 boysTXFlorida: #25 for boys · 93 births · 1 in 124 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Idaho#16 · 1 in 95
  2. Indiana#18 · 1 in 92
  3. Kansas#18 · 1 in 105
  4. West Virginia#19 · 1 in 95
  5. Ohio#20 · 1 in 90

Best ever in a state: #8 in Idaho, 1914.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Idaho#16371 in 95
Indiana#182711 in 92
Kansas#181361 in 105
West Virginia#191761 in 95
Missouri#202521 in 108
Ohio#205671 in 90
Delaware#21161 in 87
Maine#21711 in 84
North Carolina#212901 in 114
North Dakota#21661 in 94
Colorado#22771 in 107
Illinois#224571 in 125
Nebraska#23921 in 124
New Mexico#23381 in 113
California#243121 in 117
Iowa#241421 in 133
Utah#24441 in 105
Wisconsin#242031 in 118
Florida#25931 in 124
Georgia#252021 in 133
Massachusetts#252691 in 117
New Hampshire#25331 in 97
Oregon#25481 in 113
Wyoming#25171 in 93
Pennsylvania#266691 in 120
District of Columbia#27281 in 119
Kentucky#271941 in 126
Montana#27311 in 129
Virginia#271661 in 131
Connecticut#281011 in 113
Minnesota#281511 in 130
Vermont#28241 in 100
Michigan#302831 in 149
New Jersey#302301 in 126
Arizona#31341 in 130
Rhode Island#31421 in 110
Tennessee#311731 in 140
Washington#31681 in 138
Oklahoma#321441 in 152
Alabama#341561 in 172
Maryland#34851 in 142
South Carolina#34991 in 172
New York#366841 in 139
South Dakota#38421 in 136
Arkansas#41841 in 198
Texas#651851 in 313
Louisiana#68671 in 284
Mississippi#76491 in 385
Hawaii#7991 in 360
Alaska———
Nevada———

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 Ralph
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 99 spots since 2024 (#1,145 → #1,046)
  • 55 spots since 2020 (#1,101 → #1,046)
  • 19 spots since 2015 (#1,065 → #1,046)
  • Biggest jump: 116 spots in 2018 (#1,066 → #950)
  • Biggest drop: 109 spots in 2007 (#759 → #868)
Rise & fade · boys
37 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1917 at #21 (7,391 births)
  • Births halved by 1964, 47 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 84 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 84 yrs · run 1880–1963
  • Top 1,000: 134 yrs · run 1880–2011
Share of babies · boys
1 in 124
  • Highest: 1 in 124 boys born in 1918 were named Ralph (0.81%)
  • Latest: 1 in 8,095 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #21 in 1917, was only 1 in 125 (0.80%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 20.4% of all boys named Ralph (84,466) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s4,269#36 (1888)#43
1890s6,951#28 (1891)#30
1900s9,298#25 (1908)#28
1910s52,522#21 (1917)#23
1920s84,466#22 (1920)#24
1930s63,802#25 (1930)#30
1940s64,983#37 (1940)#44
1950s60,440#51 (1951)#65
1960s34,190#89 (1960)#107
1970s14,755#147 (1970)#176
1980s7,998#229 (1980)#278
1990s4,474#385 (1990)#485
2000s2,779#583 (2000)#739
2010s1,978#950 (2018)#1,012
2020s1,113#1,046 (2025)#1,122

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.

Ralph in 1929

girls
#941
58 births · 1 in 19,251 girls
boys
#26
7,715 births · 1 in 139 boys

Top girls' names in 1929

  1. #1Mary63,512
  2. #2Betty36,675
  3. #3Dorothy31,476
  4. #4Helen20,983
  5. #5Margaret19,212
  6. #6Doris16,498
  7. #7Barbara16,038
  8. #8Ruth16,021
  9. #9Shirley14,576
  10. #10Patricia13,624
  11. #941Ralph58

Top boys' names in 1929

  1. #1Robert59,807
  2. #2James52,135
  3. #3John52,112
  4. #4William47,815
  5. #5Charles29,930
  6. #6Richard29,572
  7. #7Donald27,181
  8. #8George23,020
  9. #9Joseph21,165
  10. #10Edward17,220
  11. #26Ralph7,715
More about 1929

girls

1,116,561 girls got a published name in 1929; 1 in 19,251 of them was named Ralph, which outranked 82.2% of the 5,277 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ralph
  1. #932Louvenia59
  2. #932Maryanne59
  3. #932Wynona59
  4. #941Ralph58
  5. #941Almeta58
  6. #941Birtha58
  7. #941Dorine58
  8. #951Elinore57
  9. #951Jettie57
  10. #951Jovita57

Tied with 9 names at #941; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,951Dorla#2,623 → #672
  2. ↑ 797Ingrid#1,738 → #941
  3. ↑ 534Sydell#1,502 → #968
  4. ↑ 521Elenor#1,502 → #981
  5. ↑ 406Jeanine#888 → #482
Fallers
  1. ↓ 937Joline#888 → #1,825
  2. ↓ 259Mafalda#936 → #1,195
  3. ↓ 250Lorelei#994 → #1,244
  4. ↓ 249Ardelle#888 → #1,137
  5. ↓ 234Charmaine#420 → #654

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

boys

1,075,615 boys got a published name in 1929; 1 in 139 of them was named Ralph, which outranked 99.4% of the 4,545 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ralph
  1. #23Billy8,320
  2. #24Albert8,078
  3. #25Herbert7,881
  4. #26Ralph7,715
  5. #27Harry7,144
  6. #28Carl6,895
  7. #29Willie6,616
Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,188Davey#2,843 → #655
  2. ↑ 554Davie#1,413 → #859
  3. ↑ 374Derald#1,095 → #721
  4. ↑ 358Vernal#1,353 → #995
  5. ↑ 350Ken#1,228 → #878
Fallers
  1. ↓ 530Adolf#950 → #1,480
  2. ↓ 426Quinton#913 → #1,339
  3. ↓ 349Thornton#963 → #1,312
  4. ↓ 346Verlyn#891 → #1,237
  5. ↓ 346Isidore#891 → #1,237

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

See the top 100 for 1929 →