Hunter
Boy name · #130 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Hunter? In official American birth records, Hunter has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 2,761 baby boys were named Hunter, placing it at #130 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #41, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 652 boys born in 2025 was named Hunter.
Babies named Hunter per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Hunter first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 12,538 boys were named Hunter — good for #35 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 Hunter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hunter in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hunter 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 Hunter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Hunter is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Hunter is most common in RI (5.4 per 1,000), WV (4.5 per 1,000), AK (4.4 per 1,000), MT (4.3 per 1,000), ME (3.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Hunter is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Hunter
Statistically, parents drawn to Hunter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Xavier, Connor, Parker, Javier, and Hayden.
XavierConnorParkerJavierHaydenTannerTuckerCarter
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hunter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,761 | #130 |
| 2024 | 2,852 | #128 |
| 2023 | 3,131 | #115 |
| 2022 | 3,605 | #101 |
| 2021 | 4,206 | #86 |
| 2020 | 4,786 | #68 |
| 2019 | 5,398 | #66 |
| 2018 | 6,117 | #56 |
| 2017 | 6,760 | #53 |
| 2016 | 7,681 | #45 |
| 2015 | 8,367 | #41 |
| 2014 | 8,841 | #40 |
| 2013 | 8,988 | #36 |
| 2012 | 8,053 | #45 |
| 2011 | 7,380 | #55 |
| 2010 | 7,334 | #58 |
| 2009 | 7,751 | #56 |
| 2008 | 8,045 | #54 |
| 2007 | 8,218 | #57 |
| 2006 | 8,574 | #54 |
| 2005 | 8,512 | #53 |
| 2004 | 8,902 | #49 |
| 2003 | 9,900 | #41 |
| 2002 | 11,085 | #38 |
| 2001 | 11,335 | #36 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Hunter?
In official American birth records, the name Hunter first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 12 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Hunter a popular boy name?
Hunter ranked #130 among boys in 2025 with 2,761 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #41.
When was the name Hunter most popular?
Hunter peaked in 2000, when 12,538 American boys received the name (ranked #35 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hunter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 652 newborn American boys was named Hunter. 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.