Dash
Boy name · #1059 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Dash? In official American birth records, Dash has been tracked continuously since 1984, giving it 41 years of documented American history.
Dash ranks #1059 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 207 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #769, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,696 boys born in 2025 was named Dash.
Babies named Dash per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 41-year story
Dash first appears in the Social Security records in 1984, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 322 boys were named Dash — good for #741 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dash against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dash in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dash is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dash will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dash is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dash is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Dash is most common in LA (0.6 per 1,000), GA (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), IL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Dash is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Dash
Statistically, parents drawn to Dash tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ash, Kash, Devansh, Cash, and Rush.
AshKashDevanshCashRushDakshDukeJoziah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dash | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 207 | #1056 |
| 2024 | 238 | #955 |
| 2023 | 260 | #893 |
| 2022 | 301 | #824 |
| 2021 | 311 | #791 |
| 2020 | 291 | #796 |
| 2019 | 318 | #751 |
| 2018 | 292 | #784 |
| 2017 | 322 | #741 |
| 2016 | 307 | #777 |
| 2015 | 310 | #769 |
| 2014 | 224 | #938 |
| 2013 | 158 | #1144 |
| 2012 | 146 | #1218 |
| 2011 | 135 | #1271 |
| 2010 | 123 | #1372 |
| 2009 | 82 | #1809 |
| 2008 | 74 | #1932 |
| 2007 | 49 | #2533 |
| 2006 | 46 | #2578 |
| 2005 | 35 | #2960 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
| 2003 | 8 | #7831 |
| 2002 | 6 | #9392 |
| 2001 | 8 | #7536 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dash?
In official American birth records, the name Dash first appeared in 1984 (over 41 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 41 years.
Is Dash a popular boy name?
Dash ranked #1059 among boys in 2025 with 207 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #769.
When was the name Dash most popular?
Dash peaked in 2017, when 322 American boys received the name (ranked #741 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dash?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,696 newborn American boys was named Dash. 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.