Precious
Girl name · #3133 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Precious? In official American birth records, Precious has been tracked continuously since 1897, giving it 128 years of documented American history.
Precious is currently the #3133 girl name in the United States — 51 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1636, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 girls born in 2025 was named Precious.
The 128-year story
Precious first appears in the Social Security records in 1897, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 746 girls were named Precious — good for #392 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 Precious per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Precious against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Precious in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Precious is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Precious will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Precious is most common
State-level data for Precious 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 Precious
Statistically, parents drawn to Precious tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marykate, Destinee, Kaleigh, Fabiola, and Stefany.
MarykateDestineeKaleighFabiolaStefanyKaitlynnKatelynnCheyanne
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Precious | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #3130 |
| 2024 | 69 | #2559 |
| 2023 | 70 | #2517 |
| 2022 | 87 | #2174 |
| 2021 | 84 | #2212 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2823 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2090 |
| 2018 | 113 | #1799 |
| 2017 | 111 | #1842 |
| 2016 | 109 | #1875 |
| 2015 | 131 | #1636 |
| 2014 | 133 | #1617 |
| 2013 | 145 | #1514 |
| 2012 | 157 | #1452 |
| 2011 | 199 | #1204 |
| 2010 | 268 | #955 |
| 2009 | 367 | #774 |
| 2008 | 375 | #783 |
| 2007 | 501 | #600 |
| 2006 | 534 | #550 |
| 2005 | 529 | #544 |
| 2004 | 512 | #558 |
| 2003 | 553 | #516 |
| 2002 | 689 | #423 |
| 2001 | 746 | #392 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Precious?
In official American birth records, the name Precious first appeared in 1897 (over 128 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Precious a popular girl name?
Precious ranked #3133 among girls in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1636.
When was the name Precious most popular?
Precious peaked in 2001, when 746 American girls received the name (ranked #392 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Precious?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American girls was named Precious. 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.