ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 1914 First Year 2014 Last Year 1949 Peak Year #2022 Peak Rank 308 Total Count 48 Years Active 📖 ## The Story of Read Read first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1914, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1949, when 14 Reads were born — ranking #2,022 that year. As of 2026, Read ranks #12,106 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 308 Reads have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s 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 Read Phonetically similar names — useful when Read is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Red](/red) * [Redd](/redd) * [Reade](/reade) * [Raed](/raed) * Redde * Rid * Rud * [Rudd](/rudd) * Ryd * Rrod * [Reed](/reed) * [Rad](/rad) Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Read What does the name Read mean? Read is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1914\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades. How popular is Read in 2026? In 2026, Read ranks #12,106 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year. When was Read most popular? Read reached its peak popularity in 1949, ranking #2,022 that year with 14 babies given the name. Is Read a unisex name? In U.S. Social Security records, Read is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name. What names go well with Read? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Read include Elvert, Consuelo, Jaycee. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. ## Similar Names [👦ElvertPeak #2022](/elvert)[👦ConsueloPeak #2022](/consuelo)[👦JayceePeak #2022](/jaycee)[👦PryncePeak #2021](/prynce)[👦EulaPeak #2020](/eula)[👦ElighaPeak #2020](/eligha)[👦BurdettPeak #2020](/burdett)[👦ElwardPeak #2020](/elward) ## About the name Read Read is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 308 births in the dataset. Read's peak popularity came in 1949 when it ranked #2,022\. Use the chart and map above to compare Read's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 1949 → ](/year/1949) * [ Names of the 1940s → ](/decade/1940s) * [ 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.