Slate
Boy name · #2706 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Slate? In official American birth records, Slate has been tracked continuously since 1990, giving it 35 years of documented American history.
Slate ranks #2706 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 48 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3299, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 37,500 boys born in 2025 was named Slate.
The 35-year story
Slate first appears in the Social Security records in 1990, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 56 boys were named Slate — good for #2355 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 Slate per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Slate against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Slate in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Slate is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Slate will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Slate is most common
State-level data for Slate 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 Slate
Statistically, parents drawn to Slate tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Selim, Sabir, Sahib, Shlome, and Saleh.
SelimSabirSahibShlomeSalehPryceShlokSaige
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Slate | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | #2676 |
| 2024 | 35 | #3335 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 43 | #2919 |
| 2021 | 45 | #2775 |
| 2020 | 41 | #2886 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2421 |
| 2018 | 56 | #2355 |
| 2017 | 40 | #2951 |
| 2016 | 44 | #2726 |
| 2015 | 34 | #3299 |
| 2014 | 36 | #3090 |
| 2013 | 37 | #2998 |
| 2012 | 36 | #3115 |
| 2011 | 23 | #4221 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5047 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 22 | #4395 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 22 | #4223 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 14 | #5492 |
| 2003 | 15 | #5035 |
| 2002 | 13 | #5395 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8339 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Slate?
In official American birth records, the name Slate first appeared in 1990 (over 35 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 35 years.
Is Slate a popular boy name?
Slate ranked #2706 among boys in 2025 with 48 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3299.
When was the name Slate most popular?
Slate peaked in 2018, when 56 American boys received the name (ranked #2355 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Slate?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 37,500 newborn American boys was named Slate. 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.