Boy · #3,279 in 2026

Ward

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

Current Rank

#3,279

Peak Rank

#240 (1961)

Total Babies

15K

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1916

First Year

2024

Last Year

2019

Peak Year

#8136

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Ward

Ward first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 30 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1961, when 341 Wards were born — ranking #430 that year. As of 2026, Ward ranks #3,279 for baby boys with 37 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 15K Wards have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Ward

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

Warde
Warred
Waard
Waarde
Weird
Wierd
Wired
Wart
Weard
Woord
Weared
Wyrd

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ward

What does the name Ward mean?

Ward is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Ward in 2026?

In 2026, Ward ranks #3,279 among boys' names in the U.S., with 37 babies given the name that year.

When was Ward most popular?

Ward reached its peak popularity in 1961, ranking #240 that year with 341 babies given the name.

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

Ward has historically been most popular in Oregon, Utah, Montana. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ward.

Is Ward a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Ward?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ward include Gustav, Bradford, Rocky. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ward

Ward is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Ward's peak popularity came in 1961 when it ranked #240. Use the chart and map above to compare Ward'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.