River
Boy name · #111 in 2025 · Uniqueness 39/100
River is currently the #111 boy name in the United States — 3,139 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #243, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 573 boys born in 2025 was named River.
Babies named River per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 54-year story
River first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 3,504 boys were named River — good for #110 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare River against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another River in class?
River scores 39 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where River is most common
Geography matters for names, and River is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Rivers were CA (285), TX (250), FL (174), GA (145), NC (134). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like River
Statistically, parents drawn to River tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jasper, Archer, Ryker, Ryder, and Walker.
JasperArcherRykerRyderWalkerAmirRhettSawyer
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named River | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,139 | #111 |
| 2024 | 3,160 | #112 |
| 2023 | 3,117 | #116 |
| 2022 | 3,500 | #105 |
| 2021 | 3,504 | #110 |
| 2020 | 2,816 | #129 |
| 2019 | 2,371 | #168 |
| 2018 | 2,078 | #197 |
| 2017 | 1,969 | #200 |
| 2016 | 1,852 | #212 |
| 2015 | 1,516 | #243 |
| 2014 | 1,243 | #287 |
| 2013 | 830 | #371 |
| 2012 | 722 | #403 |
| 2011 | 645 | #424 |
| 2010 | 634 | #432 |
| 2009 | 619 | #448 |
| 2008 | 611 | #454 |
| 2007 | 464 | #553 |
| 2006 | 505 | #513 |
| 2005 | 476 | #517 |
| 2004 | 420 | #549 |
| 2003 | 388 | #570 |
| 2002 | 329 | #610 |
| 2001 | 323 | #607 |
Frequently asked questions
Is River a popular boy name?
River ranked #111 among boys in 2025 with 3,139 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #243.
When was the name River most popular?
River peaked in 2021, when 3,504 American boys received the name (ranked #110 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name River?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 573 newborn American boys was named River. It scores 39/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.