Dusty
Boy name · #3526 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Dusty? In official American birth records, Dusty has been tracked continuously since 1927, giving it 98 years of documented American history.
Dusty is currently the #3526 boy name in the United States — 32 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2565, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 boys born in 2025 was named Dusty.
The 98-year story
Dusty first appears in the Social Security records in 1927, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1981, when 602 boys were named Dusty — good for #316 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 Dusty per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dusty against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dusty in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dusty is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dusty will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dusty is most common
State-level data for Dusty is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Dusty
Statistically, parents drawn to Dusty tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rusty, Derik, Ashley, Courtney, and Donny.
RustyDerikAshleyCourtneyDonnyKoryDonnellJamaal
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dusty | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #3513 |
| 2024 | 26 | #4072 |
| 2023 | 34 | #3416 |
| 2022 | 45 | #2830 |
| 2021 | 31 | #3582 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3143 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 34 | #3312 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3059 |
| 2015 | 48 | #2565 |
| 2014 | 42 | #2805 |
| 2013 | 54 | #2336 |
| 2012 | 49 | #2517 |
| 2011 | 34 | #3235 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2187 |
| 2009 | 77 | #1873 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2039 |
| 2007 | 81 | #1795 |
| 2006 | 84 | #1684 |
| 2005 | 106 | #1402 |
| 2004 | 93 | #1467 |
| 2003 | 93 | #1420 |
| 2002 | 102 | #1305 |
| 2001 | 102 | #1287 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dusty?
In official American birth records, the name Dusty first appeared in 1927 (over 98 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 98 years.
Is Dusty a popular boy name?
Dusty ranked #3526 among boys in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2565.
When was the name Dusty most popular?
Dusty peaked in 1981, when 602 American boys received the name (ranked #316 that year). Since 1981 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dusty?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American boys was named Dusty. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.