Diego
Boy name · #158 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Diego? In official American birth records, Diego has been tracked continuously since 1887, giving it 138 years of documented American history.
Diego ranks #158 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 2,351 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #125, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 766 boys born in 2025 was named Diego.
Babies named Diego per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 138-year story
Diego first appears in the Social Security records in 1887, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 8,403 boys were named Diego — good for #56 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 Diego against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Diego in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Diego is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Diego is most common
Geography matters for names, and Diego is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Diego is most common in NM (5.5 per 1,000), AZ (3.1 per 1,000), CA (2.8 per 1,000), TX (2.7 per 1,000), NV (2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Diego is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Diego
Statistically, parents drawn to Diego tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hayden, Caden, Riley, Ashton, and Evan.
HaydenCadenRileyAshtonEvanConnorRodrigoJonah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Diego | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,351 | #158 |
| 2024 | 2,511 | #145 |
| 2023 | 2,747 | #135 |
| 2022 | 2,970 | #124 |
| 2021 | 2,925 | #126 |
| 2020 | 2,910 | #126 |
| 2019 | 2,990 | #129 |
| 2018 | 2,884 | #135 |
| 2017 | 3,102 | #129 |
| 2016 | 3,201 | #130 |
| 2015 | 3,237 | #125 |
| 2014 | 3,171 | #129 |
| 2013 | 2,921 | #130 |
| 2012 | 3,337 | #110 |
| 2011 | 3,824 | #99 |
| 2010 | 4,719 | #86 |
| 2009 | 5,414 | #76 |
| 2008 | 6,572 | #69 |
| 2007 | 8,216 | #58 |
| 2006 | 8,403 | #56 |
| 2005 | 6,942 | #62 |
| 2004 | 5,876 | #73 |
| 2003 | 5,121 | #83 |
| 2002 | 3,979 | #98 |
| 2001 | 2,833 | #139 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Diego?
In official American birth records, the name Diego first appeared in 1887 (over 138 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Diego a popular boy name?
Diego ranked #158 among boys in 2025 with 2,351 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #125.
When was the name Diego most popular?
Diego peaked in 2006, when 8,403 American boys received the name (ranked #56 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Diego?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 766 newborn American boys was named Diego. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.