Barrett
Boy name · #171 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Barrett? In official American birth records, Barrett has been tracked continuously since 1886, giving it 139 years of documented American history.
Barrett is currently the #171 boy name in the United States — 2,138 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #313, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 842 boys born in 2025 was named Barrett.
Babies named Barrett per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 139-year story
Barrett first appears in the Social Security records in 1886, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 2,138 babies and a rank of #171. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Barrett against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Barrett in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Barrett is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Barrett is most common
Geography matters for names, and Barrett is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Barrett is most common in NE (5.9 per 1,000), MT (5 per 1,000), ND (4.5 per 1,000), WV (3.7 per 1,000), SD (3.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Barrett is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Barrett
Statistically, parents drawn to Barrett tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Beckett, Rhett, Everett, Emmett, and Jett.
BeckettRhettEverettEmmettJettElliottBeckhamTruett
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Barrett | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,138 | #171 |
| 2024 | 1,989 | #187 |
| 2023 | 1,787 | #206 |
| 2022 | 1,789 | #208 |
| 2021 | 1,962 | #193 |
| 2020 | 2,010 | #193 |
| 2019 | 1,863 | #209 |
| 2018 | 1,808 | #213 |
| 2017 | 1,612 | #234 |
| 2016 | 1,389 | #261 |
| 2015 | 1,142 | #313 |
| 2014 | 959 | #346 |
| 2013 | 878 | #359 |
| 2012 | 804 | #376 |
| 2011 | 626 | #436 |
| 2010 | 468 | #541 |
| 2009 | 464 | #571 |
| 2008 | 408 | #610 |
| 2007 | 362 | #662 |
| 2006 | 273 | #765 |
| 2005 | 286 | #713 |
| 2004 | 233 | #778 |
| 2003 | 205 | #845 |
| 2002 | 173 | #924 |
| 2001 | 178 | #882 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Barrett?
In official American birth records, the name Barrett first appeared in 1886 (over 139 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Barrett a popular boy name?
Barrett ranked #171 among boys in 2025 with 2,138 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #313.
When was the name Barrett most popular?
Barrett peaked in 2025, when 2,138 American boys received the name (ranked #171 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Barrett?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 842 newborn American boys was named Barrett. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.