Kern
Every Kern since 1914 — 744 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kern
Kern 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 1914, 744 American babies have been named Kern. Its peak came in 1952, when 21 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Kern stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kern year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 6 | #11,577 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 6 | #11,882 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | 6 | #10,714 |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | 7 | #8,798 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 8 | #6,149 |
| 1985 | 7 | #5,473 |
| 1980 | 7 | #5,244 |
| 1975 | 7 | #4,567 |
| 1970 | 9 | #3,408 |
| 1965 | 18 | #1,890 |
| 1960 | 18 | #1,946 |
| 1955 | 12 | #2,370 |
| 1950 | 9 | #2,676 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3,555 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,009 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 9 | #2,894 |
| 1925 | 5 | #4,586 |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,087 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,236 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Kern in 2025?
Kern 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 Kern?
744 babies have been named Kern in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kern most popular?
Kern peaked in 1952, when 21 newborns received the name.
Is Kern a boy or girl name?
Kern is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kern rising or falling?
Kern has been roughly stable over the past decade.