Howard
Boy name · #1002 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Howard? In official American birth records, Howard has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Howard ranks #1002 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 226 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1038, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,965 boys born in 2025 was named Howard.
The 145-year story
Howard first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 357 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 7,713 boys were named Howard — good for #27 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 Howard per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Howard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Howard in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Howard is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Howard will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Howard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Howard is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Howard is most common in WI (0.4 per 1,000), MN (0.4 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Howard is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Howard
Statistically, parents drawn to Howard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leonard, Bernard, Harold, Willard, and Clifford.
LeonardBernardHaroldWillardCliffordAlfredErnestEdmund
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Howard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 226 | #1002 |
| 2024 | 207 | #1057 |
| 2023 | 219 | #1003 |
| 2022 | 208 | #1057 |
| 2021 | 241 | #937 |
| 2020 | 194 | #1044 |
| 2019 | 216 | #984 |
| 2018 | 213 | #975 |
| 2017 | 203 | #996 |
| 2016 | 241 | #901 |
| 2015 | 194 | #1038 |
| 2014 | 211 | #986 |
| 2013 | 194 | #1008 |
| 2012 | 203 | #983 |
| 2011 | 207 | #957 |
| 2010 | 229 | #894 |
| 2009 | 216 | #942 |
| 2008 | 229 | #906 |
| 2007 | 241 | #861 |
| 2006 | 243 | #834 |
| 2005 | 229 | #822 |
| 2004 | 235 | #774 |
| 2003 | 258 | #718 |
| 2002 | 266 | #684 |
| 2001 | 290 | #643 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Howard?
In official American birth records, the name Howard first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 357 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Howard a popular boy name?
Howard ranked #1002 among boys in 2025 with 226 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1038.
When was the name Howard most popular?
Howard peaked in 1921, when 7,713 American boys received the name (ranked #27 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Howard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,965 newborn American boys was named Howard. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.