Ransom
Boy name · #1688 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ransom? In official American birth records, Ransom has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ransom is currently the #1688 boy name in the United States — 97 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1567, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,557 boys born in 2025 was named Ransom.
Babies named Ransom per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Ransom first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 111 babies and a rank of #1589. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Ransom against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ransom in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ransom is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ransom will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ransom is most common
State-level data for Ransom 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 Ransom
Statistically, parents drawn to Ransom tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Shalom, Avrohom, Sholom, Taysom, and Shulem.
ShalomAvrohomSholomTaysomShulemRadleyWisdomRaziel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ransom | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97 | #1688 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1650 |
| 2023 | 105 | #1640 |
| 2022 | 111 | #1589 |
| 2021 | 102 | #1635 |
| 2020 | 102 | #1592 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 78 | #1901 |
| 2017 | 100 | #1605 |
| 2016 | 110 | #1522 |
| 2015 | 103 | #1567 |
| 2014 | 93 | #1657 |
| 2013 | 96 | #1605 |
| 2012 | 78 | #1863 |
| 2011 | 70 | #1968 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1778 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2007 | 60 | #2213 |
| 2006 | 56 | #2248 |
| 2005 | 51 | #2297 |
| 2004 | 35 | #2887 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 31 | #2943 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ransom?
In official American birth records, the name Ransom first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ransom a popular boy name?
Ransom ranked #1688 among boys in 2025 with 97 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1567.
When was the name Ransom most popular?
Ransom peaked in 2022, when 111 American boys received the name (ranked #1589 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ransom?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,557 newborn American boys was named Ransom. 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.