Boy · #12,106 in 2026

Read

Name: Popularity of the name Read in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Read, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#12,106

Peak Rank

#2,022 (1949)

Total Babies

308

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1914

First Year

2014

Last Year

1949

Peak Year

#2022

Peak Rank

308

Total Count

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

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
Redd
Reade
Raed
Redde
Rid
Rud
Rudd
Ryd
Rrod
Reed
Rad

Source: Datamuse . 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.

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

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.