Boy · #6,843 in 2026

Heir

Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time.

Current Rank
#6,843
Peak Rank
#6,293 (2020)
Total Babies
85
5-Yr Trend
+22%
2019
First Year
2026
Last Year
2020
Peak Year
#6293
Peak Rank
85
Total Count
8
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Heir

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
Further information: Historical inheritance systems Detailed anthropological and sociological studies have been conducted on customs of patrimonial inheritance, in which only male children can inherit. Some cultures also employ matrilineal succession, where property can only pass along the female line, most commonly to the decedent's sister's sons, but also, in some societies, to the mother and her daughters. Some ancient societies and most modern states employ egalitarian inheritance, without discrimination based on gender and/or birth order.

The Story of Heir

Heir first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2019, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2020: 13 births, good for #6,293 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 94% of all recorded Heirs. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,843 among baby boy names with 11 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). In total, more than 85 Heirs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Where is Heir most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • CD
    40%
  • Nigeria
    15%
  • United States
    15%
  • BB
    15%
  • BW
    14%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Heir

Phonetically similar names — useful when Heir is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Air
  • Err
  • Ere
  • Aire
  • Aer
  • Eyre
  • Aare
  • Eyr
  • Ayre
  • Ehr
  • Ehre
  • Aere

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Heir

What does the name Heir mean?
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time.
How popular is Heir in 2026?
In 2026, Heir ranks #6,843 among boys' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Heir most popular?
Heir reached its peak popularity in 2020, ranking #6,293 that year with 13 babies given the name.
Is Heir a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Heir is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Heir?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Heir include Cas, Avish, Cyree. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Cas
Peak #6293
👦
Avish
Peak #6293
👦
Cyree
Peak #6293
👦
Coleston
Peak #6293
👦
Malhar
Peak #6293
👦
Erza
Peak #6293
👦
Keimoni
Peak #6293
👦
Masih
Peak #6293

About the name Heir

Heir is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2019 and has accumulated 85 births in the dataset. Heir's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #6,293. Use the chart and map above to compare Heir's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.