Hal
Boy name · #3132 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Hal? In official American birth records, Hal has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Hal ranks #3132 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 38 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4711, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 47,368 boys born in 2025 was named Hal.
The 145-year story
Hal first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1956, when 598 boys were named Hal — good for #305 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 Hal per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hal in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hal is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Hal will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Hal is most common
State-level data for Hal 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).
Nicknames & related forms of Hal
Hal belongs to the Henry family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Henry family went to about 13,163 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #5, versus #3132 for Hal alone.
Names like Hal
Statistically, parents drawn to Hal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Neal, Ted, Rick, Cary, and Ken.
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | #3128 |
| 2024 | 33 | #3455 |
| 2023 | 41 | #3005 |
| 2022 | 15 | #5874 |
| 2021 | 30 | #3651 |
| 2020 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2019 | 21 | #4639 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 16 | #5526 |
| 2016 | 15 | #5789 |
| 2015 | 20 | #4711 |
| 2014 | 22 | #4392 |
| 2013 | 16 | #5404 |
| 2012 | 19 | #4862 |
| 2011 | 15 | #5675 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7591 |
| 2009 | 12 | #6802 |
| 2008 | 9 | #8324 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 14 | #5781 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8299 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7536 |
| 2003 | 26 | #3443 |
| 2002 | 22 | #3794 |
| 2001 | 18 | #4302 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Hal?
In official American birth records, the name Hal first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Hal a popular boy name?
Hal ranked #3132 among boys in 2025 with 38 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4711.
When was the name Hal most popular?
Hal peaked in 1956, when 598 American boys received the name (ranked #305 that year). Since 1956 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 47,368 newborn American boys was named Hal. 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.