ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1948

First Year

2026

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#2858

Peak Rank

231

Total Count

29

Years Active

📖

## The Story of Rad

Rad first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1948, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 17 Rads were born — ranking #5,462 that year. As of 2026, Rad ranks #6,452 for baby boys with 13 births, rising sharply (+26% over the past five years). In total, more than 231 Rads have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s 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

🎶

## Names that sound like Rad

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

* Radde
* [Radd](/radd)
* Wrad
* [Red](/red)
* Ride
* [Read](/read)
* Rat
* [Reed](/reed)
* [Raid](/raid)
* Rid
* [Reid](/reid)
* [Rade](/rade)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Rad

What does the name Rad mean?

Rad is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1948\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Rad in 2026?

In 2026, Rad ranks #6,452 among boys' names in the U.S., with 13 babies given the name that year.

When was Rad most popular?

Rad reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #2,858 that year with 17 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Rad most popular?

Rad has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Rad.

Is Rad a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Rad is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Rad?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rad include Benedicto, Jana, Emanuele. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👦BenedictoPeak #2858](/benedicto)[👦JanaPeak #2858](/jana)[👦EmanuelePeak #2857](/emanuele)[👦VondellPeak #2857](/vondell)[👦JeraminePeak #2857](/jeramine)[👦LevertPeak #2860](/levert)[👦BretonPeak #2860](/breton)[👦NhanPeak #2860](/nhan)

## About the name Rad 

Rad is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1948 and has accumulated 231 births in the dataset. Rad's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #2,858\. Use the chart and map above to compare Rad's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2023 → ](/year/2023)
* [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s)
* [ Names starting with "R" → ](/letter/r)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.