Ripken
Boy name · #3559 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ripken? In official American birth records, Ripken has been tracked continuously since 1997, giving it 28 years of documented American history.
Ripken ranks #3559 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 32 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #5746, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 boys born in 2025 was named Ripken.
The 28-year story
Ripken first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 47 babies and a rank of #2753. 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.
Babies named Ripken per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ripken against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ripken in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ripken is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ripken will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ripken is most common
State-level data for Ripken 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 Ripken
Statistically, parents drawn to Ripken tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Laiken, Roczen, Yeiden, Hayzen, and Ruhaan.
LaikenRoczenYeidenHayzenRuhaanRiyaanTorbenKhylen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ripken | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #3513 |
| 2024 | 33 | #3455 |
| 2023 | 46 | #2769 |
| 2022 | 47 | #2753 |
| 2021 | 45 | #2775 |
| 2020 | 32 | #3418 |
| 2019 | 28 | #3794 |
| 2018 | 27 | #3891 |
| 2017 | 18 | #5111 |
| 2016 | 15 | #5789 |
| 2015 | 15 | #5746 |
| 2014 | 19 | #4866 |
| 2013 | 17 | #5171 |
| 2012 | 10 | #7559 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8079 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7591 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9019 |
| 2007 | 7 | #9788 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
| 1999 | 6 | #8704 |
| 1997 | 5 | #9265 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ripken?
In official American birth records, the name Ripken first appeared in 1997 (over 28 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 28 years.
Is Ripken a popular boy name?
Ripken ranked #3559 among boys in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5746.
When was the name Ripken most popular?
Ripken peaked in 2022, when 47 American boys received the name (ranked #2753 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ripken?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American boys was named Ripken. 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.