Deborah
Girl name · #862 in 2025 · Uniqueness 58/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Deborah scores 58 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 Deborah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Deborah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Deborahs were TX (33), CA (29), FL (29), NY (20), NJ (16). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 58/100 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.