Porter
Boy name · #560 in 2025 · Uniqueness 64/100
Porter ranks #560 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 531 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #375, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,390 boys born in 2025 was named Porter.
Babies named Porter per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Porter first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 38 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 862 boys were named Porter — good for #375 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 Porter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Porter in class?
Porter scores 64 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 Porter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Porter is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Porters were TX (46), TN (32), UT (28), OH (27), CA (25). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Porter
Statistically, parents drawn to Porter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gunner, Foster, Zander, Karter, and Jagger.
GunnerFosterZanderKarterJaggerPalmerDexterGunnar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Porter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 531 | #560 |
| 2024 | 464 | #617 |
| 2023 | 605 | #499 |
| 2022 | 592 | #506 |
| 2021 | 698 | #443 |
| 2020 | 707 | #424 |
| 2019 | 613 | #478 |
| 2018 | 749 | #418 |
| 2017 | 802 | #398 |
| 2016 | 749 | #419 |
| 2015 | 862 | #375 |
| 2014 | 857 | #368 |
| 2013 | 778 | #383 |
| 2012 | 644 | #430 |
| 2011 | 602 | #449 |
| 2010 | 602 | #446 |
| 2009 | 578 | #473 |
| 2008 | 574 | #482 |
| 2007 | 566 | #474 |
| 2006 | 553 | #479 |
| 2005 | 405 | #575 |
| 2004 | 336 | #628 |
| 2003 | 314 | #646 |
| 2002 | 265 | #687 |
| 2001 | 225 | #762 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Porter a popular boy name?
Porter ranked #560 among boys in 2025 with 531 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #375.
When was the name Porter most popular?
Porter peaked in 2015, when 862 American boys received the name (ranked #375 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Porter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,390 newborn American boys was named Porter. It scores 64/100 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.