Cynthia
Girl name · #1015 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Cynthia? In official American birth records, Cynthia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Cynthia is currently the #1015 girl name in the United States — 247 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #540, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,287 girls born in 2025 was named Cynthia.
The 145-year story
Cynthia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 61 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 39,340 girls were named Cynthia — good for #7 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 Cynthia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cynthia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cynthia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cynthia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cynthia will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cynthia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cynthia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Cynthia is most common in WI (0.5 per 1,000), OH (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), IL (0.2 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Cynthia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Cynthia
Statistically, parents drawn to Cynthia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carla, Patricia, Teresa, Brenda, and Theresa.
CarlaPatriciaTeresaBrendaTheresaBarbaraClaudiaAnita
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cynthia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 247 | #1013 |
| 2024 | 331 | #829 |
| 2023 | 308 | #871 |
| 2022 | 315 | #885 |
| 2021 | 346 | #806 |
| 2020 | 308 | #873 |
| 2019 | 378 | #746 |
| 2018 | 419 | #692 |
| 2017 | 462 | #636 |
| 2016 | 552 | #563 |
| 2015 | 580 | #540 |
| 2014 | 636 | #492 |
| 2013 | 601 | #500 |
| 2012 | 750 | #419 |
| 2011 | 733 | #428 |
| 2010 | 835 | #380 |
| 2009 | 893 | #361 |
| 2008 | 1,076 | #310 |
| 2007 | 1,234 | #278 |
| 2006 | 1,420 | #239 |
| 2005 | 1,574 | #221 |
| 2004 | 1,521 | #222 |
| 2003 | 1,662 | #199 |
| 2002 | 1,833 | #176 |
| 2001 | 1,921 | #169 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cynthia?
In official American birth records, the name Cynthia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 61 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Cynthia a popular girl name?
Cynthia ranked #1015 among girls in 2025 with 247 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #540.
When was the name Cynthia most popular?
Cynthia peaked in 1957, when 39,340 American girls received the name (ranked #7 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cynthia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,287 newborn American girls was named Cynthia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.