Ransom
Ransom is a male given name which may refer to the following people:Ransom Cook (1794–1881), American inventor Ransom W. Dunham (1838–1896), U.S. Representative from Illinois Ransom Dunn (1818–1900), American minister and theologian Ransom L. Ford (1878–1973), American politician from Michigan Ransom H. Gillet (1800–1876), U.S. Representative from New York Ransom Halloway (1793–1851), U.S.
Meaning & Origin of Ransom
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ransom is a male given name which may refer to the following people:Ransom Cook (1794–1881), American inventor Ransom W. Dunham (1838–1896), U.S. Representative from Illinois Ransom Dunn (1818–1900), American minister and theologian Ransom L. Ford (1878–1973), American politician from Michigan Ransom H. Gillet (1800–1876), U.S. Representative from New York Ransom Halloway (1793–1851), U.S.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ransom
Ransom first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 111 Ransoms were born — ranking #1,586 that year. As of 2026, Ransom ranks #1,650 for baby boys with 104 births, rising sharply (+15% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Ransoms have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ransom
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ransom is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ransom
What does the name Ransom mean?
How popular is Ransom in 2026?
When was Ransom most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ransom most popular?
Is Ransom a unisex name?
What names go well with Ransom?
About the name Ransom
Ransom is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Ransom's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #453. Use the chart and map above to compare Ransom's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.