Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1990

Cheng

Gender Unisex · 6% girls Rank 2025 #12,389
Rank 2025
#12,389
among boys · ↓1,198 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Cheng
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1990
48 babies
All-time total
684
#6,771 all-time among boys
First recorded
1979
in Social Security records

Cheng popularity over time

684 babies have been named Cheng since 1979, 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
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 9 9 1 – #4,130
1980s 12 249 261 26 +2800% #1,675
1990s 26 259 285 29 +9% #1,845
2000s – 76 76 8 -73% #5,081
2010s – 24 24 2 -68% #9,803
2020s (to 2025) – 29 29 5 +101% #6,703

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.

How old are people named Cheng?

The median living Cheng is about 34 years old; half are between 28 and 38. An estimated 700 people named Cheng are alive in the United States today.

median 34 020406080100

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

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

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

  1. 1 Cheng Pei-pei Cheng Pei-pei Chinese actress (1946–2024) Contemporary
  2. 2 Cheng Fei Chinese gymnast b. 1988 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Cheng Yi Cheng Yi Chinese philosopher (1033–1107) Medieval
  4. 4 Cheng Hao Cheng Hao Chinese philosopher (1032–1085) Medieval
  5. 5 Cheng Xunzhao Chinese judoka (born 1991) Contemporary
  6. 6 Cheng Ming Cheng Ming Chinese archer (born 1986) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Cheng?

The median living Cheng is about 34 years old. Half of all living Chengs are between 28 and 38 years old.

How many people named Cheng are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Cheng are alive in the United States, based on 684 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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 Pei-pei (actor), Cheng Fei (gymnast), Cheng Yi (philosopher).

Names like Cheng

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

Compare Cheng with similar names → More names starting with C →