Tim
Boy name · #3182 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Tim? In official American birth records, Tim has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 37 baby boys were named Tim, placing it at #3182 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2212, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 48,649 boys born in 2025 was named Tim.
Babies named Tim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Tim first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 6,931 boys were named Tim — good for #60 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Tim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Tim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Tim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Tim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Tim is most common
State-level data for Tim 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).
Nicknames & related forms of Tim
Tim belongs to the Timothy family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Timothy family went to about 1,771 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #199, versus #3182 for Tim alone.
Names like Tim
Statistically, parents drawn to Tim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jim, Tom, Ted, Jeff, and Ken.
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Tim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3181 |
| 2024 | 54 | #2502 |
| 2023 | 37 | #3228 |
| 2022 | 32 | #3533 |
| 2021 | 42 | #2918 |
| 2020 | 32 | #3418 |
| 2019 | 57 | #2364 |
| 2018 | 57 | #2325 |
| 2017 | 53 | #2417 |
| 2016 | 68 | #2066 |
| 2015 | 61 | #2212 |
| 2014 | 75 | #1920 |
| 2013 | 51 | #2424 |
| 2012 | 41 | #2869 |
| 2011 | 48 | #2547 |
| 2010 | 65 | #2069 |
| 2009 | 69 | #2010 |
| 2008 | 70 | #2001 |
| 2007 | 77 | #1861 |
| 2006 | 78 | #1769 |
| 2005 | 84 | #1619 |
| 2004 | 60 | #1989 |
| 2003 | 88 | #1478 |
| 2002 | 79 | #1557 |
| 2001 | 81 | #1502 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Tim?
In official American birth records, the name Tim first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 12 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Tim a popular boy name?
Tim ranked #3182 among boys in 2025 with 37 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2212.
When was the name Tim most popular?
Tim peaked in 1960, when 6,931 American boys received the name (ranked #60 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Tim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 48,649 newborn American boys was named Tim. 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.