Cass
A diminutive of the female given name Cassandra of medieval origin, later also used for Cassidy, Cassiopeia, and Catherine with its variant forms.
Every Cass since 1881 — 1,993 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cass
Cass is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,068 in 2025 with 19 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 1,993 American babies have been named Cass — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1989, when 43 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Cass stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cass year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 19 | #5,068 |
| 2024 | — | — | 18 | #5,276 |
| 2023 | — | — | 16 | #5,699 |
| 2022 | — | — | 23 | #4,459 |
| 2021 | — | — | 34 | #3,370 |
| 2020 | — | — | 24 | #4,162 |
| 2019 | — | — | 24 | #4,248 |
| 2018 | — | — | 20 | #4,771 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,363 | 28 | #3,789 |
| 2016 | — | — | 29 | #3,701 |
| 2015 | — | — | 20 | #4,744 |
| 2014 | — | — | 23 | #4,282 |
| 2013 | — | — | 11 | #7,112 |
| 2012 | — | — | 12 | #6,688 |
| 2011 | — | — | 24 | #4,126 |
| 2010 | — | — | 30 | #3,547 |
| 2009 | — | — | 24 | #4,181 |
| 2008 | — | — | 20 | #4,741 |
| 2007 | — | — | 19 | #4,835 |
| 2006 | — | — | 14 | #5,829 |
| 2005 | — | — | 16 | #5,074 |
| 2004 | — | — | 16 | #5,048 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16,229 | 10 | #6,804 |
| 2002 | — | — | 13 | #5,445 |
| 2001 | — | — | 13 | #5,425 |
| 2000 | — | — | 17 | #4,426 |
| 1995 | 5 | #13,781 | 14 | #4,310 |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,635 | 29 | #2,378 |
| 1985 | — | — | 23 | #2,304 |
| 1980 | — | — | 14 | #3,119 |
| 1975 | — | — | 18 | #2,377 |
| 1970 | 8 | #5,880 | 26 | #1,709 |
| 1965 | — | — | 15 | #2,100 |
| 1960 | — | — | 42 | #1,211 |
| 1955 | — | — | 12 | #2,321 |
| 1950 | — | — | 12 | #2,231 |
| 1945 | — | — | 6 | #3,034 |
| 1940 | — | — | 6 | #3,182 |
| 1935 | — | — | 7 | #3,002 |
| 1930 | — | — | 5 | #4,082 |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,189 |
| 1920 | — | — | 6 | #3,892 |
| 1915 | — | — | 11 | #2,331 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,447 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 5 | #1,347 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cass
- Cass Elliot Singer · 1941–1974
- Cass Gilbert Architect · 1859–1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cass mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Cassandra of medieval origin, later also used for Cassidy, Cassiopeia, and Catherine with its variant forms.
How popular is the name Cass in 2025?
Cass ranked #5,068 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 19 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cass?
1,993 babies have been named Cass in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cass most popular?
Cass peaked in 1989, when 43 newborns received the name.
Is Cass a boy or girl name?
Cass is used for both: about 7% of babies named Cass have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Cass rising or falling?
Cass has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Cass?
Well-known people named Cass include Cass Elliot (singer), Cass Gilbert (architect).