Rainer
Boy name · #3400 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Rainer? In official American birth records, Rainer has been tracked continuously since 1955, giving it 70 years of documented American history.
Rainer ranks #3400 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 34 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3149, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 boys born in 2025 was named Rainer.
The 70-year story
Rainer first appears in the Social Security records in 1955, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 53 boys were named Rainer — good for #2445 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 Rainer per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rainer against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rainer in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rainer is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rainer will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rainer is most common
State-level data for Rainer 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 Rainer
Statistically, parents drawn to Rainer tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Renner, Rainier, Banner, Rhyker, and Timber.
RennerRainierBannerRhykerTimberRikerSanderRoper
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rainer | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #3379 |
| 2024 | 51 | #2595 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2805 |
| 2022 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2021 | 53 | #2499 |
| 2020 | 43 | #2806 |
| 2019 | 35 | #3259 |
| 2018 | 53 | #2445 |
| 2017 | 48 | #2597 |
| 2016 | 43 | #2783 |
| 2015 | 36 | #3149 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3154 |
| 2013 | 27 | #3753 |
| 2012 | 23 | #4251 |
| 2011 | 19 | #4822 |
| 2010 | 15 | #5741 |
| 2009 | 24 | #4160 |
| 2008 | 29 | #3646 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4375 |
| 2006 | 27 | #3686 |
| 2005 | 25 | #3710 |
| 2004 | 18 | #4602 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6715 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 18 | #4302 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rainer?
In official American birth records, the name Rainer first appeared in 1955 (over 70 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 70 years.
Is Rainer a popular boy name?
Rainer ranked #3400 among boys in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3149.
When was the name Rainer most popular?
Rainer peaked in 2018, when 53 American boys received the name (ranked #2445 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rainer?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American boys was named Rainer. 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.