Boy · #5,999 in 2026

Thunder

Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning produces rapid expansion of the air in the path of a lightning bolt.

Current Rank
#5,999
Peak Rank
#3,606 (2018)
Total Babies
572
5-Yr Trend
-15%
1975
First Year
2026
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#3606
Peak Rank
572
Total Count
41
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Thunder

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

Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning produces rapid expansion of the air in the path of a lightning bolt.

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

Etymology
The d in Modern English thunder (from earlier Old English þunor ) is epenthetic , and is now found as well in Modern Dutch donder (cf. Middle Dutch donre ; also Old Norse þorr , Old Frisian þuner , Old High German donar , all ultimately descended from Proto-Germanic * þunraz ). In Latin the term was tonare "to thunder". The name of the Nordic god Thor comes from the Old Norse word for thunder. The shared Proto-Indo-European root is (s)tónh₂-r̥ , also found in Gaulish Taranis .

The Story of Thunder

Thunder first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 30 Thunders were born — ranking #3,606 that year. As of 2026, Thunder ranks #5,999 for baby boys with 15 births, falling sharply (-15%). In total, more than 572 Thunders have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s 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 Thunder

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

  • Thunders
  • Thundered
  • Thunderer
  • Thundery
  • Sunder
  • Funder
  • Hundre
  • Munder
  • Tondre
  • Thinner
  • Thinned
  • Thenar

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Thunder

What does the name Thunder mean?
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning produces rapid expansion of the air in the path of a lightning bolt.
How popular is Thunder in 2026?
In 2026, Thunder ranks #5,999 among boys' names in the U.S., with 15 babies given the name that year.
When was Thunder most popular?
Thunder reached its peak popularity in 2018, ranking #3,606 that year with 30 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Thunder most popular?
Thunder has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Thunder.
Is Thunder a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Thunder is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Thunder?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Thunder include Can, Sinan, Arshan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Can
Peak #3606
👦
Sinan
Peak #3606
👦
Arshan
Peak #3606
👦
Emrick
Peak #3606
👦
Anvay
Peak #3606
👦
Ivon
Peak #3607
👦
Carnel
Peak #3605
👦
Emillio
Peak #3607

About the name Thunder

Thunder is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 572 births in the dataset. Thunder's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #3,606. Use the chart and map above to compare Thunder'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.