Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1965

Baldwin

Meaning bold friend Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

From Proto-West Germanic *Balþawini, from Proto-Germanic *Balþawiniz (“bold friend”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Baldwin
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1965
13 babies
All-time total
634
#6,844 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Baldwin popularity over time

634 babies have been named Baldwin since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1880Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 5 1 – #922
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 67 7 – #1,814
1920s 86 9 +28% #2,608
1930s 40 4 -53% #2,670
1940s 17 2 -57% #2,153
1950s 51 5 +200% #2,378
1960s 64 6 +25% #2,278
1970s 18 2 -72% #4,224
1980s 43 4 +139% #3,866
1990s 89 9 +107% #4,435
2000s 66 7 -26% #6,899
2010s 58 6 -12% #7,232
2020s (to 2025) 30 5 -14% #7,661

The story of Baldwin

Baldwin is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 634 American babies have been named Baldwin. Its peak came in 1965, when 13 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Baldwin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Baldwin?

The median living Baldwin is about 31 years old; half are between 17 and 58. An estimated 400 people named Baldwin are alive in the United States today.

median 31 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Baldwin year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 6 #10,989
2022 8 #9,078
2021 10 #7,661
2020 6 #10,757
2019 11 #7,232
2018 9 #8,237
2017 10 #7,626
2016 6 #10,895
2015 6 #10,822
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 8 #8,842
2010 8 #8,892
2009 11 #7,272
2008 6 #11,209
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 10 #7,168
2004 8 #8,210
2003 7 #8,746
2002 8 #7,717
2001 7 #8,424
2000 9 #6,899
1995 8 #6,461
1990 12 #4,435
1985 – –
1980 10 #3,866
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 13 #2,278
1960 8 #3,105
1955 7 #3,219
1950 5 #3,724
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 8 #3,174
1920 10 #2,784
1915 9 #2,644
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 5 #922

Famous people named Baldwin

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Baldwin IV of Jerusalem King of Jerusalem from 1174 to 1185 1161–1185 · Medieval
  2. 2 Baldwin V of Jerusalem Baldwin V of Jerusalem King of Jerusalem from 1183 to 1186 1177–1186 · Medieval
  3. 3 Baldwin I of Jerusalem Baldwin I of Jerusalem King of Jerusalem from 1100 to 1118 1058–1118 · Medieval
  4. 4 Baldwin II of Jerusalem Baldwin II of Jerusalem King of Jerusalem from 1118 to 1131 1060–1131 · Medieval
  5. 5 Baldwin III of Jerusalem Baldwin III of Jerusalem King of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163 1130–1163 · Medieval
  6. 6 Baldwin V, Count of Flanders Baldwin V, Count of Flanders Count of Flanders from 1035 to 1067 1012–1067 · Medieval
  7. 7 Baldwin I, Latin Emperor Baldwin I, Latin Emperor Latin Emperor from 1204 to 1205 1172–1205 · Medieval
  8. 8 Baldwin II, Latin Emperor Baldwin II, Latin Emperor Latin Emperor from 1228 to 1261 1217–1273 · Medieval
  9. 9 Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders Count of Flanders from 987 to 1035 980–1035 · Medieval
  10. 10 Baldwin VI, Count of Flanders Count of Hainaut (1051–1070) and Flanders (1067–1070) 1030–1070 · Medieval
  11. 11 Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut Count of Hainaut from 1171 to 1195 1150–1195 · Medieval
  12. 12 Baldwin I, Margrave of Flanders Baldwin I, Margrave of Flanders Margrave of Flanders from 862 to 879 830–879 · Medieval
  13. 13 Baldwin II, Margrave of Flanders Margrave of Flanders from 879 to 918 863–918 · Medieval
  14. 14 Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut Count of Hainaut (1120-1171) 1108–1171 · Medieval
  15. 15 Baldwin III, Count of Flanders Baldwin III, Count of Flanders Count of Flanders from 958 to 962 940–962 · Medieval
  16. 16 Baldwin II, Count of Hainaut Baldwin II, Count of Hainaut 11th-century count of Hainaut 1056–1098 · Medieval
  17. 17 Baldwin III, Count of Hainaut Count of Hainaut (1088–1120) Medieval
  18. 18 Baldwin VII, Count of Flanders Count of Flanders from 1111 to 1119 1093–1119 · Medieval
  19. 19 Baldwin of Luxembourg Baldwin of Luxembourg Archbishop of Trier 1285–1354 · Medieval
  20. 20 Baldwin Spencer Baldwin Spencer Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 2004 to 2014 b. 1948 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Baldwin, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Baldwin?

The median living Baldwin is about 31 years old. Half of all living Baldwins are between 17 and 58 years old.

How many people named Baldwin are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Baldwin are alive in the United States, based on 634 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Baldwin mean?

From Proto-West Germanic *Balþawini, from Proto-Germanic *Balþawiniz (“bold friend”).

How popular is the name Baldwin in 2025?

Baldwin did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Baldwin?

634 babies have been named Baldwin in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Baldwin most popular?

Baldwin peaked in 1965, when 13 newborns received the name.

Is Baldwin a boy or girl name?

Baldwin is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Baldwin rising or falling?

Baldwin has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Baldwin?

Well-known people named Baldwin include Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (politician), Baldwin V of Jerusalem (politician), Baldwin I of Jerusalem (politician).

Names like Baldwin

Names that sound and feel close to Baldwin: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Baldwin with similar names → More names starting with B →