Bentley
Boy name · #215 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Bentley? In official American birth records, Bentley has been tracked continuously since 1890, giving it 135 years of documented American history.
Bentley ranks #215 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,649 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #92, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,092 boys born in 2025 was named Bentley.
The 135-year story
Bentley first appears in the Social Security records in 1890, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 5,895 boys were named Bentley — good for #75 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Bentley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bentley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bentley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bentley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Bentley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bentley is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Bentley is most common in WV (5.4 per 1,000), ME (4.4 per 1,000), MT (3.2 per 1,000), KY (3 per 1,000), AR (2.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bentley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bentley
Statistically, parents drawn to Bentley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Brantley, Finley, Braxton, Brody, and Brayden.
BrantleyFinleyBraxtonBrodyBraydenOakleyZaydenCamden
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bentley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,649 | #215 |
| 2024 | 1,782 | #201 |
| 2023 | 1,922 | #186 |
| 2022 | 2,197 | #172 |
| 2021 | 2,522 | #150 |
| 2020 | 2,590 | #141 |
| 2019 | 2,983 | #130 |
| 2018 | 3,279 | #121 |
| 2017 | 3,841 | #101 |
| 2016 | 4,073 | #100 |
| 2015 | 4,342 | #92 |
| 2014 | 4,785 | #89 |
| 2013 | 5,395 | #81 |
| 2012 | 5,895 | #75 |
| 2011 | 5,587 | #75 |
| 2010 | 3,776 | #100 |
| 2009 | 522 | #514 |
| 2008 | 217 | #936 |
| 2007 | 195 | #996 |
| 2006 | 170 | #1054 |
| 2005 | 130 | #1216 |
| 2004 | 101 | #1404 |
| 2003 | 81 | #1561 |
| 2002 | 70 | #1682 |
| 2001 | 74 | #1600 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bentley?
In official American birth records, the name Bentley first appeared in 1890 (over 135 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Bentley a popular boy name?
Bentley ranked #215 among boys in 2025 with 1,649 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #92.
When was the name Bentley most popular?
Bentley peaked in 2012, when 5,895 American boys received the name (ranked #75 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bentley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,092 newborn American boys was named Bentley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.