Whitaker
Boy name · #2171 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Whitaker? In official American birth records, Whitaker has been tracked continuously since 1949, giving it 76 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 66 baby boys were named Whitaker, placing it at #2171 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3085, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,273 boys born in 2025 was named Whitaker.
The 76-year story
Whitaker first appears in the Social Security records in 1949, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 66 babies and a rank of #2167. 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 Whitaker per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Whitaker against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Whitaker in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Whitaker is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Whitaker will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Whitaker is most common
State-level data for Whitaker 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 Whitaker
Statistically, parents drawn to Whitaker tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Whittaker, Winter, Decker, Wrangler, and Wheeler.
WhittakerWinterDeckerWranglerWheelerStrykerRikerBanner
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Whitaker | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66 | #2167 |
| 2024 | 65 | #2210 |
| 2023 | 50 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 49 | #2675 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 49 | #2586 |
| 2019 | 53 | #2491 |
| 2018 | 45 | #2708 |
| 2017 | 57 | #2295 |
| 2016 | 47 | #2626 |
| 2015 | 37 | #3085 |
| 2014 | 34 | #3234 |
| 2013 | 23 | #4180 |
| 2012 | 18 | #5035 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 17 | #5251 |
| 2009 | 33 | #3332 |
| 2008 | 18 | #5067 |
| 2007 | 17 | #5210 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9585 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7640 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8143 |
| 2003 | 8 | #7831 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2000 | 8 | #7416 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Whitaker?
In official American birth records, the name Whitaker first appeared in 1949 (over 76 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 76 years.
Is Whitaker a popular boy name?
Whitaker ranked #2171 among boys in 2025 with 66 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3085.
When was the name Whitaker most popular?
Whitaker peaked in 2025, when 66 American boys received the name (ranked #2167 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Whitaker?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,273 newborn American boys was named Whitaker. 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.