Jim
Boy name · #3128 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Jim? In official American birth records, Jim has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 38 baby boys were named Jim, placing it at #3128 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2809, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 47,368 boys born in 2025 was named Jim.
Babies named Jim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Jim first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 345 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 5,688 boys were named Jim — good for #70 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 Jim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jim is most common
State-level data for Jim 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 Jim
Jim belongs to the James family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the James family went to about 12,782 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #5, versus #3128 for Jim alone.
Names like Jim
Statistically, parents drawn to Jim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tim, Tom, Jeff, Ken, and Ted.
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | #3128 |
| 2024 | 23 | #4433 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4002 |
| 2022 | 34 | #3412 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3180 |
| 2020 | 40 | #2925 |
| 2019 | 39 | #3052 |
| 2018 | 39 | #2994 |
| 2017 | 37 | #3123 |
| 2016 | 43 | #2783 |
| 2015 | 42 | #2809 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2154 |
| 2013 | 60 | #2182 |
| 2012 | 58 | #2238 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2145 |
| 2010 | 64 | #2100 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2183 |
| 2008 | 88 | #1719 |
| 2007 | 79 | #1830 |
| 2006 | 97 | #1536 |
| 2005 | 92 | #1535 |
| 2004 | 102 | #1394 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1348 |
| 2002 | 117 | #1191 |
| 2001 | 105 | #1265 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jim?
In official American birth records, the name Jim first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 345 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jim a popular boy name?
Jim ranked #3128 among boys in 2025 with 38 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2809.
When was the name Jim most popular?
Jim peaked in 1959, when 5,688 American boys received the name (ranked #70 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 47,368 newborn American boys was named Jim. 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.