Chief
Every Chief since 1919 — 348 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chief
Chief is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,903 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1919, 348 American babies have been named Chief. Its peak came in 2020, when 34 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Chief stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chief year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #5,903 |
| 2024 | 26 | #4,097 |
| 2023 | 30 | #3,729 |
| 2022 | 27 | #4,005 |
| 2021 | 32 | #3,512 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3,283 |
| 2019 | 27 | #3,911 |
| 2018 | 20 | #4,775 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4,772 |
| 2016 | 17 | #5,359 |
| 2015 | 17 | #5,337 |
| 2014 | 17 | #5,291 |
| 2013 | 13 | #6,311 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8,278 |
| 2011 | 8 | #8,902 |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,133 |
| 2008 | 6 | #11,306 |
| 2007 | 6 | #11,159 |
| 2006 | 5 | #12,365 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10,331 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Chief
- Chief Keef Singer · b. 1995
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Chief in 2025?
Chief ranked #5,903 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Chief?
348 babies have been named Chief in the United States since 1919, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chief most popular?
Chief peaked in 2020, when 34 newborns received the name.
Is Chief a boy or girl name?
Chief is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Chief rising or falling?
Chief is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Chief?
Well-known people named Chief include Chief Keef (singer).