Deborah
Girl name · #862 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Deborah? In official American birth records, Deborah has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 313 baby girls were named Deborah, placing it at #862 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #804, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,751 girls born in 2025 was named Deborah.
Babies named Deborah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Deborah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1954, when 54,674 girls were named Deborah — good for #3 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Deborah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Deborah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Deborah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Deborah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Deborah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Deborah is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Deborah is most common in MN (0.6 per 1,000), IN (0.5 per 1,000), NJ (0.5 per 1,000), VA (0.4 per 1,000), FL (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Deborah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Deborah
Statistically, parents drawn to Deborah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Beverly, Darlene, Barbara, Darla, and Judith.
BeverlyDarleneBarbaraDarlaJudithCynthiaTeresaSusan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Deborah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 313 | #862 |
| 2024 | 317 | #852 |
| 2023 | 267 | #967 |
| 2022 | 301 | #910 |
| 2021 | 295 | #910 |
| 2020 | 291 | #904 |
| 2019 | 296 | #899 |
| 2018 | 350 | #781 |
| 2017 | 357 | #773 |
| 2016 | 349 | #822 |
| 2015 | 350 | #804 |
| 2014 | 373 | #752 |
| 2013 | 330 | #815 |
| 2012 | 337 | #793 |
| 2011 | 332 | #810 |
| 2010 | 355 | #774 |
| 2009 | 346 | #817 |
| 2008 | 356 | #808 |
| 2007 | 372 | #777 |
| 2006 | 425 | #672 |
| 2005 | 425 | #652 |
| 2004 | 427 | #639 |
| 2003 | 423 | #632 |
| 2002 | 474 | #559 |
| 2001 | 490 | #543 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Deborah?
In official American birth records, the name Deborah first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 12 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Deborah a popular girl name?
Deborah ranked #862 among girls in 2025 with 313 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #804.
When was the name Deborah most popular?
Deborah peaked in 1954, when 54,674 American girls received the name (ranked #3 that year). Since 1954 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Deborah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,751 newborn American girls was named Deborah. 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.