Mason
Boy name · #39 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Mason? In official American birth records, Mason has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Mason ranks #39 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 6,291 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 286 boys born in 2025 was named Mason.
Babies named Mason per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Mason first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 22 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 19,530 boys were named Mason — good for #2 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 Mason against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mason in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mason 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 Mason is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mason is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Mason is most common in VT (12 per 1,000), DE (10 per 1,000), RI (9.9 per 1,000), ME (9.9 per 1,000), HI (8.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mason is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mason
Statistically, parents drawn to Mason tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jackson, Grayson, Carson, Bryson, and Logan.
JacksonGraysonCarsonBrysonLoganAidenOwenHarrison
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mason | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,291 | #39 |
| 2024 | 6,492 | #42 |
| 2023 | 7,259 | #30 |
| 2022 | 8,051 | #24 |
| 2021 | 9,103 | #18 |
| 2020 | 10,117 | #11 |
| 2019 | 11,484 | #9 |
| 2018 | 12,526 | #9 |
| 2017 | 13,602 | #7 |
| 2016 | 15,287 | #4 |
| 2015 | 16,675 | #3 |
| 2014 | 17,225 | #3 |
| 2013 | 17,730 | #4 |
| 2012 | 18,994 | #2 |
| 2011 | 19,530 | #2 |
| 2010 | 14,858 | #12 |
| 2009 | 10,696 | #34 |
| 2008 | 10,489 | #35 |
| 2007 | 10,775 | #37 |
| 2006 | 10,414 | #40 |
| 2005 | 9,771 | #42 |
| 2004 | 8,619 | #51 |
| 2003 | 7,897 | #54 |
| 2002 | 7,878 | #53 |
| 2001 | 7,447 | #53 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mason?
In official American birth records, the name Mason first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 22 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Mason a popular boy name?
Mason ranked #39 among boys in 2025 with 6,291 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #3.
When was the name Mason most popular?
Mason peaked in 2011, when 19,530 American boys received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mason?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 286 newborn American boys was named Mason. 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.