Phoenix
Boy name · #329 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Phoenix? In official American birth records, Phoenix has been tracked continuously since 1968, giving it 57 years of documented American history.
Phoenix is currently the #329 boy name in the United States — 1,027 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #307, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,753 boys born in 2025 was named Phoenix.
The 57-year story
Phoenix first appears in the Social Security records in 1968, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 1,534 boys were named Phoenix — good for #236 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 Phoenix per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Phoenix against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Phoenix in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Phoenix is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Phoenix is most common
Geography matters for names, and Phoenix is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Phoenix is most common in MS (1.7 per 1,000), OK (1.5 per 1,000), AR (1.3 per 1,000), ID (1.2 per 1,000), SC (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Phoenix is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Phoenix
Statistically, parents drawn to Phoenix tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hendrix, Paxton, Prince, Atticus, and Lennox.
HendrixPaxtonPrinceAtticusLennoxLawsonGideonFinley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Phoenix | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,027 | #329 |
| 2024 | 1,235 | #275 |
| 2023 | 1,259 | #269 |
| 2022 | 1,342 | #260 |
| 2021 | 1,446 | #247 |
| 2020 | 1,534 | #236 |
| 2019 | 1,422 | #256 |
| 2018 | 1,456 | #252 |
| 2017 | 1,349 | #267 |
| 2016 | 1,237 | #292 |
| 2015 | 1,163 | #307 |
| 2014 | 914 | #353 |
| 2013 | 790 | #380 |
| 2012 | 795 | #380 |
| 2011 | 731 | #388 |
| 2010 | 766 | #375 |
| 2009 | 826 | #367 |
| 2008 | 744 | #397 |
| 2007 | 695 | #418 |
| 2006 | 675 | #422 |
| 2005 | 527 | #476 |
| 2004 | 418 | #551 |
| 2003 | 398 | #563 |
| 2002 | 321 | #616 |
| 2001 | 302 | #627 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Phoenix?
In official American birth records, the name Phoenix first appeared in 1968 (over 57 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 57 years.
Is Phoenix a popular boy name?
Phoenix ranked #329 among boys in 2025 with 1,027 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #307.
When was the name Phoenix most popular?
Phoenix peaked in 2020, when 1,534 American boys received the name (ranked #236 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Phoenix?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,753 newborn American boys was named Phoenix. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.