Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2016

Hamilton

Meaning blunt, flat-topped Gender Boy Rank 2025 #3,152 Trend ↓ Falling 35%

From Old English *Hameldūne, from hamel (“blunt, flat-topped”) + dūne (“hill”).

Rank 2025
#3,152
among boys · ↓505 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
38
named Hamilton · -24% vs 2024
How common
1 in 44,949
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2016
98 babies
All-time total
6,517
#1,527 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Hamilton popularity over time

6,517 babies have been named Hamilton 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
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1883Boys

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 148 15 – #347
1890s 103 10 -30% #485
1900s 144 14 +40% #458
1910s 557 56 +287% #618
1920s 625 63 +12% #756
1930s 387 39 -38% #833
1940s 381 38 -2% #1,017
1950s 338 34 -11% #1,055
1960s 352 35 +4% #1,174
1970s 373 37 +6% #1,181
1980s 615 62 +65% #1,099
1990s 691 69 +12% #1,224
2000s 677 68 -2% #1,552
2010s 793 79 +17% #1,630
2020s (to 2025) 333 56 -30% #2,031

Where Hamilton is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 35 0.02 outside top 500
2027 33 0.02 outside top 500
2028 31 0.02 outside top 500
2029 30 0.02 outside top 500
2030 29 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Hamilton

Hamilton is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,152 in 2025 with 38 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 6,517 American babies have been named Hamilton. Its peak came in 2016, when 98 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

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 Hamilton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Hamilton?

The median living Hamilton is about 30 years old; half are between 14 and 47. An estimated 4,200 people named Hamilton are alive in the United States today.

median 30 020406080100

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

Hamilton year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 38 #3,152
2024 50 #2,647
2023 48 #2,709
2022 68 #2,155
2021 73 #2,031
2020 56 #2,373
2019 81 #1,854
2018 80 #1,878
2017 83 #1,814
2016 98 #1,630
2015 86 #1,771
2014 93 #1,660
2013 86 #1,718
2012 56 #2,308
2011 71 #1,953
2010 59 #2,219
2009 78 #1,868
2008 92 #1,670
2007 63 #2,146
2006 75 #1,829
2005 59 #2,091
2004 64 #1,918
2003 56 #2,038
2002 55 #2,006
2001 78 #1,552
2000 57 #1,860
1995 69 #1,439
1990 59 #1,475
1985 59 #1,248
1980 66 #1,115
1975 41 #1,364
1970 41 #1,305
1965 36 #1,283
1960 31 #1,447
1955 31 #1,385
1950 45 #1,055
1945 39 #1,023
1940 33 #1,167
1935 29 #1,260
1930 48 #986
1925 65 #826
1920 61 #881
1915 67 #725
1910 13 #897
1905 11 #764
1900 19 #566
1895 15 #539
1890 8 #776
1885 8 #731
1880 17 #432

Famous people named Hamilton

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

  1. 1 Hamilton Camp Hamilton Camp British actor and musician (1934–2005) Contemporary
  2. 2 Hamilton Fish Hamilton Fish American politician (1808–1893) 19th century
  3. 3 Hamilton Mourão Hamilton Mourão Brazilian politician (born 1953) Contemporary
  4. 4 Hamilton O. Smith Hamilton O. Smith American biologist (1931–2025) Contemporary
  5. 5 Hamilton Harty Hamilton Harty Irish composer and conductor (1879–1941) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Hamilton?

The median living Hamilton is about 30 years old. Half of all living Hamiltons are between 14 and 47 years old.

How many people named Hamilton are alive today?

An estimated 4,200 people named Hamilton are alive in the United States, based on 6,517 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Hamilton mean?

From Old English *Hameldūne, from hamel (“blunt, flat-topped”) + dūne (“hill”).

How popular is the name Hamilton in 2025?

Hamilton ranked #3,152 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 38 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Hamilton?

6,517 babies have been named Hamilton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Hamilton most popular?

Hamilton peaked in 2016, when 98 newborns received the name.

Is Hamilton a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Hamilton rising or falling?

Hamilton is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Hamilton become more popular?

Hamilton is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 29 boys named Hamilton in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Hamilton?

Well-known people named Hamilton include Hamilton Camp (actor), Hamilton Fish (politician), Hamilton Mourão (politician).

Names like Hamilton

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

Compare Hamilton with similar names → More names starting with H →