Bruce
Boy name · #536 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Bruce is currently the #536 boy name in the United States — 558 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #404, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,226 boys born in 2025 was named Bruce.
The 145-year story
Bruce first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 47 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1956, when 14,660 boys were named Bruce — good for #33 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Bruce per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bruce against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bruce in class?
Bruce scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Bruce is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bruce is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Bruces were CA (72), TX (57), FL (35), NY (29), CO (19). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Bruce
Statistically, parents drawn to Bruce tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lawrence, Wayne, Danny, Robin, and Roger.
LawrenceWayneDannyRobinRogerChrisEddieMonte
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bruce | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 558 | #536 |
| 2024 | 555 | #536 |
| 2023 | 547 | #542 |
| 2022 | 526 | #563 |
| 2021 | 549 | #535 |
| 2020 | 587 | #498 |
| 2019 | 624 | #471 |
| 2018 | 614 | #473 |
| 2017 | 722 | #429 |
| 2016 | 702 | #440 |
| 2015 | 766 | #404 |
| 2014 | 773 | #401 |
| 2013 | 710 | #417 |
| 2012 | 668 | #422 |
| 2011 | 574 | #469 |
| 2010 | 485 | #533 |
| 2009 | 586 | #466 |
| 2008 | 581 | #478 |
| 2007 | 636 | #439 |
| 2006 | 550 | #481 |
| 2005 | 490 | #504 |
| 2004 | 532 | #474 |
| 2003 | 509 | #486 |
| 2002 | 510 | #467 |
| 2001 | 579 | #424 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bruce a popular boy name?
Bruce ranked #536 among boys in 2025 with 558 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #404.
When was the name Bruce most popular?
Bruce peaked in 1956, when 14,660 American boys received the name (ranked #33 that year). Since 1956 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bruce?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,226 newborn American boys was named Bruce. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.