Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1934

Hiawatha

Gender Unisex · 25% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Hiawatha
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1934
31 babies
All-time total
1,228
#5,400 all-time among boys
First recorded
1911
in Social Security records

Hiawatha popularity over time

1,228 babies have been named Hiawatha since 1911, 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
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 48 107 155 16 – #1,629
1920s 74 161 235 24 +52% #1,676
1930s 40 158 198 20 -16% #1,339
1940s 37 142 179 18 -10% #1,600
1950s 48 146 194 19 +8% #1,773
1960s 36 91 127 13 -35% #2,536
1970s 20 69 89 9 -30% #2,615
1980s – 46 46 5 -48% #5,145
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – 5 5 1 – #12,016
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Hiawatha

Hiawatha is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1911, 1,228 American babies have been named Hiawatha, about 75% boys and 25% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1934, when 31 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1930s.

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

How old are people named Hiawatha?

The median living Hiawatha is about 67 years old; half are between 55 and 76. An estimated 500 people named Hiawatha are alive in the United States today.

median 67 020406080100

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

Hiawatha 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – 5 #12,016
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – 7 #5,158
1975 – – 8 #4,088
1970 – – 9 #3,377
1965 5 #6,884 8 #3,090
1960 8 #4,924 11 #2,599
1955 5 #6,190 16 #1,998
1950 6 #4,958 18 #1,773
1945 6 #4,230 14 #1,887
1940 – – 10 #2,388
1935 7 #3,554 19 #1,621
1930 – – 14 #2,123
1925 7 #4,198 14 #2,248
1920 8 #3,760 14 #2,273
1915 – – 18 #1,688
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Hiawatha

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

  1. 1 Hiawatha Hiawatha Native American leader

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Hiawatha?

The median living Hiawatha is about 67 years old. Half of all living Hiawathas are between 55 and 76 years old.

How many people named Hiawatha are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Hiawatha are alive in the United States, based on 1,228 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Hiawatha in 2025?

Hiawatha did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Hiawatha?

1,228 babies have been named Hiawatha in the United States since 1911, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Hiawatha most popular?

Hiawatha peaked in 1934, when 31 newborns received the name.

Is Hiawatha a boy or girl name?

Hiawatha is used for both: about 25% of babies named Hiawatha have been girls and 75% boys.

Is the name Hiawatha rising or falling?

Hiawatha has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Hiawatha?

Well-known people named Hiawatha include Hiawatha (politician).

Names like Hiawatha

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

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