Cheng
Every Cheng since 1979 — 684 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cheng
Cheng is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #12,389 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1979, 684 American babies have been named Cheng — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1990, when 48 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Cheng stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cheng 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 | — | — | 5 | #12,389 |
| 2024 | — | — | 6 | #11,191 |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | 6 | #11,121 |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | 12 | #6,703 |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | 6 | #11,024 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | 6 | #10,968 |
| 2013 | — | — | 5 | #12,474 |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | 7 | #9,803 |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | 7 | #10,059 |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | 8 | #9,054 |
| 2006 | — | — | 7 | #9,738 |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | 9 | #7,636 |
| 2003 | — | — | 9 | #7,332 |
| 2002 | — | — | 10 | #6,613 |
| 2001 | — | — | 12 | #5,730 |
| 2000 | — | — | 14 | #5,081 |
| 1995 | — | — | 27 | #2,694 |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,686 | 42 | #1,845 |
| 1985 | — | — | 37 | #1,675 |
| 1980 | — | — | 13 | #3,283 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cheng
- Cheng Yi Philosopher · 1033–1107
- Cheng Pei-pei Actor · b. 1946
- Cheng Hao Philosopher · 1032–1085
- Cheng Ming Athlete · b. 1986
- Cheng Fei Gymnast · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Cheng in 2025?
Cheng ranked #12,389 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cheng?
684 babies have been named Cheng in the United States since 1979, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cheng most popular?
Cheng peaked in 1990, when 48 newborns received the name.
Is Cheng a boy or girl name?
Cheng is used for both: about 6% of babies named Cheng have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Cheng rising or falling?
Cheng has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Cheng?
Well-known people named Cheng include Cheng Yi (philosopher), Cheng Pei-pei (actor), Cheng Hao (philosopher).