Messiah
Boy name · #208 in 2025 · Uniqueness 53/100
Messiah is currently the #208 boy name in the United States — 1,666 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #243, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,080 boys born in 2025 was named Messiah.
Babies named Messiah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 52-year story
Messiah first appears in the Social Security records in 1973, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 2,231 boys were named Messiah — good for #172 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 Messiah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Messiah in class?
Messiah scores 53 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Messiah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Messiah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Messiahs were TX (185), FL (146), GA (123), CA (113), NC (87). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Messiah
Statistically, parents drawn to Messiah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Azariah, Jasiah, Hezekiah, Judah, and Malakai.
AzariahJasiahHezekiahJudahMalakaiMatiasMatteoJosiah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Messiah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,666 | #207 |
| 2024 | 1,744 | #203 |
| 2023 | 1,916 | #189 |
| 2022 | 2,024 | #186 |
| 2021 | 2,231 | #172 |
| 2020 | 2,036 | #190 |
| 2019 | 2,037 | #193 |
| 2018 | 2,003 | #203 |
| 2017 | 1,987 | #198 |
| 2016 | 1,794 | #217 |
| 2015 | 1,516 | #243 |
| 2014 | 1,188 | #299 |
| 2013 | 974 | #334 |
| 2012 | 769 | #388 |
| 2011 | 369 | #635 |
| 2010 | 371 | #647 |
| 2009 | 369 | #663 |
| 2008 | 337 | #699 |
| 2007 | 322 | #718 |
| 2006 | 256 | #799 |
| 2005 | 198 | #904 |
| 2004 | 136 | #1152 |
| 2003 | 118 | #1230 |
| 2002 | 105 | #1288 |
| 2001 | 99 | #1316 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Messiah a popular boy name?
Messiah ranked #208 among boys in 2025 with 1,666 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #243.
When was the name Messiah most popular?
Messiah peaked in 2021, when 2,231 American boys received the name (ranked #172 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Messiah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,080 newborn American boys was named Messiah. It scores 53/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.