Prudence
Girl name · #2100 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Prudence? In official American birth records, Prudence has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 89 baby girls were named Prudence, placing it at #2100 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2590, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,225 girls born in 2025 was named Prudence.
The 145-year story
Prudence first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 17 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1943, when 140 girls were named Prudence — good for #641 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Prudence per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Prudence against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Prudence in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Prudence is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Prudence will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Prudence is most common
State-level data for Prudence 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 Prudence
Statistically, parents drawn to Prudence tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rosaline, Charolette, Delphine, Dixie, and Dottie.
RosalineCharoletteDelphineDixieDottieImogeneLuanaPhilomena
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Prudence | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 89 | #2099 |
| 2024 | 68 | #2585 |
| 2023 | 79 | #2314 |
| 2022 | 99 | #1974 |
| 2021 | 71 | #2484 |
| 2020 | 84 | #2156 |
| 2019 | 109 | #1850 |
| 2018 | 96 | #2026 |
| 2017 | 96 | #2035 |
| 2016 | 81 | #2321 |
| 2015 | 69 | #2590 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2809 |
| 2013 | 78 | #2344 |
| 2012 | 53 | #3134 |
| 2011 | 82 | #2274 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2870 |
| 2009 | 55 | #3088 |
| 2008 | 36 | #4268 |
| 2007 | 30 | #4808 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4576 |
| 2005 | 24 | #5266 |
| 2004 | 22 | #5555 |
| 2003 | 17 | #6576 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7045 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9351 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Prudence?
In official American birth records, the name Prudence first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 17 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Prudence a popular girl name?
Prudence ranked #2100 among girls in 2025 with 89 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2590.
When was the name Prudence most popular?
Prudence peaked in 1943, when 140 American girls received the name (ranked #641 that year). Since 1943 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Prudence?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,225 newborn American girls was named Prudence. 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.