Penn
Boy name · #2681 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Penn? In official American birth records, Penn has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
Penn ranks #2681 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 48 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2328, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 37,500 boys born in 2025 was named Penn.
The 110-year story
Penn first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2014, when 79 boys were named Penn — good for #1857 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.
Babies named Penn per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Penn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Penn in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Penn is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Penn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Penn is most common
State-level data for Penn 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).
Names like Penn
Statistically, parents drawn to Penn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Fynn, Patton, Acen, Jaxyn, and Kaeson.
FynnPattonAcenJaxynKaesonKydenZyionPayson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Penn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | #2676 |
| 2024 | 42 | #2958 |
| 2023 | 69 | #2113 |
| 2022 | 54 | #2517 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 73 | #1962 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2129 |
| 2018 | 49 | #2579 |
| 2017 | 61 | #2186 |
| 2016 | 64 | #2145 |
| 2015 | 56 | #2328 |
| 2014 | 79 | #1857 |
| 2013 | 53 | #2364 |
| 2012 | 46 | #2632 |
| 2011 | 34 | #3235 |
| 2010 | 30 | #3531 |
| 2009 | 32 | #3399 |
| 2008 | 22 | #4395 |
| 2007 | 14 | #5901 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7427 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7096 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
| 2003 | 8 | #7831 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8209 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Penn?
In official American birth records, the name Penn first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Penn a popular boy name?
Penn ranked #2681 among boys in 2025 with 48 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2328.
When was the name Penn most popular?
Penn peaked in 2014, when 79 American boys received the name (ranked #1857 that year). Since 2014 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Penn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 37,500 newborn American boys was named Penn. 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.