Watson
#14,942 for girls in 2025, 5 births · #1,008 for boys in 2025, 224 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1882 · 21 births
- Debut · boys
- 12 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 6,699since 1880
Watson over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Watson has never cracked the top 300 here.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #14,942 | 5 | #1,008 | 224 |
| 2024 | — | #866 | 279 | |
| 2023 | — | #804 | 306 | |
| 2022 | — | #729 | 356 | |
| 2021 | — | #597 | 466 | |
| 2020 | #13,453 | 6 | #603 | 454 |
| 2019 | #15,539 | 5 | #694 | 362 |
| 2018 | #13,793 | 6 | #713 | 340 |
| 2017 | — | #1,020 | 198 | |
| 2016 | — | #1,433 | 121 | |
| 2015 | — | #1,406 | 122 | |
| 2014 | — | #1,657 | 93 | |
| 2013 | — | #2,139 | 62 | |
| 2012 | — | #1,799 | 82 | |
| 2011 | — | #2,748 | 43 | |
| 2010 | — | #3,128 | 36 | |
| 2009 | — | #5,102 | 18 | |
| 2008 | — | #4,145 | 24 | |
| 2007 | — | #4,243 | 23 | |
| 2006 | — | #3,782 | 26 | |
| 2005 | — | #3,091 | 33 | |
| 2004 | — | #3,636 | 25 | |
| 2003 | — | #4,276 | 19 | |
| 2002 | — | #4,044 | 20 | |
| 2001 | — | #4,302 | 18 | |
| 2000 | — | #5,297 | 13 | |
| 1999 | — | #3,182 | 25 | |
| 1998 | — | #3,708 | 19 | |
| 1997 | — | #4,059 | 16 | |
| 1996 | — | #5,187 | 11 | |
| 1995 | — | #4,280 | 14 | |
| 1994 | — | #3,751 | 17 | |
| 1993 | — | #4,227 | 14 | |
| 1992 | — | #4,114 | 14 | |
| 1991 | — | #5,942 | 8 | |
| 1990 | — | #3,467 | 17 | |
| 1989 | — | #4,271 | 12 | |
| 1988 | — | #3,523 | 14 | |
| 1987 | — | #3,521 | 13 | |
| 1986 | — | #3,131 | 15 | |
| 1985 | — | #3,070 | 15 | |
| 1984 | — | #3,270 | 13 | |
| 1983 | — | #3,230 | 13 | |
| 1982 | — | #2,709 | 17 | |
| 1981 | — | #3,601 | 11 | |
| 1980 | — | #5,525 | 6 | |
| 1979 | — | #4,403 | 8 | |
| 1978 | — | #5,059 | 6 | |
| 1977 | — | #3,606 | 10 | |
| 1976 | — | #4,418 | 7 | |
| 1975 | — | #3,428 | 10 | |
| 1974 | — | #2,799 | 13 | |
| 1973 | — | #2,606 | 14 | |
| 1972 | — | #2,534 | 14 | |
| 1971 | — | #3,370 | 9 | |
| 1970 | — | #2,509 | 14 | |
| 1969 | — | #2,682 | 11 | |
| 1968 | — | #2,311 | 13 | |
| 1967 | — | #3,231 | 7 | |
| 1966 | — | #2,465 | 11 | |
| 1965 | — | #2,476 | 11 | |
| 1964 | — | #1,850 | 19 | |
| 1963 | — | #1,695 | 22 | |
| 1962 | — | #2,364 | 12 | |
| 1961 | — | #1,521 | 28 | |
| 1960 | — | #1,812 | 20 | |
| 1959 | — | #1,916 | 18 | |
| 1958 | — | #1,953 | 17 | |
| 1957 | — | #1,634 | 24 | |
| 1956 | — | #1,511 | 27 | |
| 1955 | — | #1,370 | 31 | |
| 1954 | — | #1,525 | 25 | |
| 1953 | — | #1,261 | 35 | |
| 1952 | — | #1,615 | 22 | |
| 1951 | — | #1,430 | 27 | |
| 1950 | — | #1,499 | 24 | |
| 1949 | — | #1,297 | 31 | |
| 1948 | — | #1,231 | 34 | |
| 1947 | — | #1,213 | 36 | |
| 1946 | — | #1,217 | 33 | |
| 1945 | — | #1,139 | 33 | |
| 1944 | — | #1,370 | 24 | |
| 1943 | — | #1,170 | 34 | |
| 1942 | — | #1,358 | 26 | |
| 1941 | — | #951 | 45 | |
| 1940 | — | #1,050 | 38 | |
| 1939 | — | #992 | 41 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,009 | 40 | |
| 1937 | — | #1,212 | 30 | |
| 1936 | — | #949 | 42 | |
| 1935 | — | #1,148 | 33 | |
| 1934 | — | #1,323 | 26 | |
| 1933 | — | #926 | 46 | |
| 1932 | — | #1,157 | 34 | |
| 1931 | — | #974 | 46 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,151 | 37 | |
| 1929 | — | #1,173 | 35 | |
| 1928 | — | #1,382 | 28 | |
| 1927 | — | #964 | 52 | |
| 1926 | — | #992 | 48 | |
| 1925 | — | #882 | 58 | |
| 1924 | — | #865 | 63 | |
| 1923 | — | #896 | 58 | |
| 1922 | — | #830 | 67 | |
| 1921 | — | #804 | 71 | |
| 1920 | — | #911 | 57 | |
| 1919 | — | #783 | 68 | |
| 1918 | — | #684 | 83 | |
| 1917 | — | #804 | 61 | |
| 1916 | — | #685 | 75 | |
| 1915 | — | #681 | 72 | |
| 1914 | — | #658 | 59 | |
| 1913 | — | #696 | 43 | |
| 1912 | — | #713 | 36 | |
| 1911 | — | #689 | 21 | |
| 1910 | — | #569 | 25 | |
| 1909 | — | #840 | 12 | |
| 1908 | — | #657 | 16 | |
| 1907 | — | #930 | 9 | |
| 1906 | — | #674 | 13 | |
| 1905 | — | #699 | 12 | |
| 1904 | — | #647 | 13 | |
| 1903 | — | #910 | 7 | |
| 1902 | — | #583 | 14 | |
| 1901 | — | #536 | 14 | |
| 1900 | — | #699 | 13 | |
| 1899 | — | #583 | 12 | |
| 1898 | — | #611 | 13 | |
| 1897 | — | #515 | 15 | |
| 1896 | — | #400 | 24 | |
| 1895 | — | #609 | 12 | |
| 1894 | — | #668 | 10 | |
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | #497 | 16 | |
| 1891 | — | #524 | 12 | |
| 1890 | — | #566 | 12 | |
| 1889 | — | #722 | 8 | |
| 1888 | — | #648 | 10 | |
| 1887 | — | #679 | 8 | |
| 1886 | — | #959 | 5 | |
| 1885 | — | #836 | 6 | |
| 1884 | — | #570 | 11 | |
| 1883 | — | #479 | 14 | |
| 1882 | — | #389 | 21 | |
| 1881 | — | #563 | 10 | |
| 1880 | — | #526 | 12 | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Watson was already there! It came in at #526, and was given to 12 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1893, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Watson is popular in 2023
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Minnesota#291 · 1 in 1,200
- Nebraska#327 · 1 in 1,214
- West Virginia#334 · 1 in 1,295
- Wisconsin#389 · 1 in 1,811
- Missouri#430 · 1 in 1,918
Best ever in a state: #116 in South Dakota, 2020.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | #291 | 20 | 1 in 1,200 |
| Nebraska | #327 | 7 | 1 in 1,214 |
| West Virginia | #334 | 5 | 1 in 1,295 |
| Wisconsin | #389 | 13 | 1 in 1,811 |
| Missouri | #430 | 14 | 1 in 1,918 |
| Mississippi | #466 | 6 | 1 in 1,912 |
| Oregon | #485 | 7 | 1 in 2,113 |
| Tennessee | #510 | 14 | 1 in 2,552 |
| Kansas | #514 | 6 | 1 in 2,262 |
| Alabama | #515 | 9 | 1 in 2,432 |
| Iowa | #560 | 5 | 1 in 2,669 |
| Utah | #564 | 7 | 1 in 2,625 |
| Oklahoma | #566 | 7 | 1 in 2,501 |
| Kentucky | #596 | 6 | 1 in 3,302 |
| Washington | #599 | 11 | 1 in 2,878 |
| Indiana | #604 | 10 | 1 in 3,160 |
| Pennsylvania | #615 | 14 | 1 in 3,716 |
| North Carolina | #635 | 14 | 1 in 3,623 |
| South Carolina | #638 | 6 | 1 in 3,404 |
| Colorado | #662 | 7 | 1 in 3,545 |
| Michigan | #699 | 10 | 1 in 4,016 |
| Louisiana | #709 | 6 | 1 in 3,405 |
| Virginia | #717 | 9 | 1 in 4,139 |
| Ohio | #806 | 10 | 1 in 5,248 |
| Georgia | #908 | 9 | 1 in 5,599 |
| Illinois | #938 | 8 | 1 in 6,270 |
| New York | #1,060 | 11 | 1 in 7,797 |
| Florida | #1,161 | 10 | 1 in 9,422 |
| Texas | #1,576 | 11 | 1 in 16,128 |
| California | #2,013 | 7 | 1 in 25,696 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| 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 Watson
Momentum · boys
Falling
- 142 spots since 2024 (#866 → #1,008)
- 405 spots since 2020 (#603 → #1,008)
- 398 spots since 2015 (#1,406 → #1,008)
- Biggest jump: 307 spots in 2018 (#1,020 → #713)
- Biggest drop: 418 spots in 1928 (#964 → #1,382)
Rise & fade · boys
2 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1882 at #389 (21 births)
- Births halved by 1885, 3 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 59 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 59 yrs · run 1894–1927
Share of babies · boys
1 in 3,754
- Highest: 1 in 3,754 boys born in 2021 were named Watson (0.03%)
- Latest: 1 in 7,625 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
- Its best rank, #389 in 1882, was only 1 in 5,414 (0.02%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2020s
- 31.1% of all boys named Watson (2,085) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 105 | #389 (1882) | #637 |
| 1890s | 126 | #400 (1896) | #553 |
| 1900s | 123 | #536 (1901) | #718 |
| 1910s | 543 | #569 (1910) | #696 |
| 1920s | 537 | #804 (1921) | #970 |
| 1930s | 375 | #926 (1933) | #1,084 |
| 1940s | 334 | #951 (1941) | #1,200 |
| 1950s | 250 | #1,261 (1953) | #1,571 |
| 1960s | 154 | #1,521 (1961) | #2,241 |
| 1970s | 105 | #2,509 (1970) | #3,473 |
| 1980s | 129 | #2,709 (1982) | #3,585 |
| 1990s | 155 | #3,182 (1999) | #4,192 |
| 2000s | 219 | #3,091 (2005) | #4,192 |
| 2010s | 1,459 | #694 (2019) | #1,674 |
| 2020s | 2,085 | #597 (2021) | #768 |
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.
Watson in 2023
boys
#804
306 births · 1 in 5,590 boys
Top boys' names in 2023
More about 2023
boys
1,710,576 boys got a published name in 2023; 1 in 5,590 of them was named Watson, which outranked 94.3% of the 14,215 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 7.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).