Freeman
Boy name · #4050 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Freeman? In official American birth records, Freeman has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Freeman ranks #4050 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 26 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3882, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 boys born in 2025 was named Freeman.
Babies named Freeman per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Freeman first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 26 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 229 boys were named Freeman — good for #393 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 Freeman against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Freeman in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Freeman is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Freeman will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Freeman is most common
State-level data for Freeman 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 Freeman
Statistically, parents drawn to Freeman tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tillman, Herman, Rueben, Lavern, and Gaston.
TillmanHermanRuebenLavernGastonGaetanoWeldonMervin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Freeman | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4050 |
| 2024 | 31 | #3605 |
| 2023 | 29 | #3802 |
| 2022 | 28 | #3879 |
| 2021 | 31 | #3582 |
| 2020 | 24 | #4141 |
| 2019 | 28 | #3794 |
| 2018 | 36 | #3171 |
| 2017 | 28 | #3781 |
| 2016 | 32 | #3441 |
| 2015 | 27 | #3882 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3154 |
| 2013 | 35 | #3122 |
| 2012 | 30 | #3530 |
| 2011 | 31 | #3434 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 37 | #3105 |
| 2008 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2007 | 36 | #3135 |
| 2006 | 38 | #2932 |
| 2005 | 33 | #3091 |
| 2004 | 37 | #2788 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 36 | #2632 |
| 2001 | 35 | #2681 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Freeman?
In official American birth records, the name Freeman first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 26 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Freeman a popular boy name?
Freeman ranked #4050 among boys in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3882.
When was the name Freeman most popular?
Freeman peaked in 1918, when 229 American boys received the name (ranked #393 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Freeman?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American boys was named Freeman. 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.