Kirk: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,551

among boys · ↑33 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Kirk

How common

1 in 32,848

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1962

2,560 babies

All-time total

68,264

#416 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Kirk popularity over time

68,264 babies have been named Kirk 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

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	–	40	40	4	–	#624
1890s	–	48	48	5	+20%	#622
1900s	–	68	68	7	+42%	#664
1910s	–	284	284	28	+318%	#904
1920s	–	387	387	39	+36%	#1,000
1930s	–	584	584	58	+51%	#559
1940s	–	2,755	2,755	276	+372%	#241
1950s	29	16,223	16,252	1,625	+490%	#145
1960s	71	22,204	22,275	2,228	+37%	#138
1970s	46	11,641	11,687	1,169	-48%	#158
1980s	45	7,186	7,231	723	-38%	#272
1990s	6	3,960	3,966	397	-45%	#347
2000s	–	1,418	1,418	142	-64%	#848
2010s	–	924	924	92	-35%	#1,472
2020s (to 2025)	–	345	345	58	-38%	#2,104

Where Kirk 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	50	0.03	outside top 500
2027	48	0.03	outside top 500
2028	47	0.03	outside top 500
2029	45	0.03	outside top 500
2030	44	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Kirk

Kirk is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,551 in 2025 with 52 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 68,264 American babies have been named Kirk. Its peak came in 1962, when 2,560 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Kirk?

The median living Kirk is about 58 years old; half are between 46 and 65. An estimated 56 thousand people named Kirk are alive in the United States today.

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

Kirk 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	–	–	52	#2,551
2024	–	–	52	#2,584
2023	–	–	52	#2,566
2022	–	–	55	#2,506
2021	–	–	67	#2,147
2020	–	–	67	#2,104
2019	–	–	76	#1,946
2018	–	–	70	#2,060
2017	–	–	95	#1,673
2016	–	–	80	#1,870
2015	–	–	92	#1,698
2014	–	–	104	#1,543
2013	–	–	112	#1,472
2012	–	–	97	#1,610
2011	–	–	96	#1,606
2010	–	–	102	#1,562
2009	–	–	111	#1,506
2008	–	–	95	#1,635
2007	–	–	124	#1,356
2006	–	–	121	#1,347
2005	–	–	141	#1,147
2004	–	–	140	#1,131
2003	–	–	158	#1,003
2002	–	–	161	#980
2001	–	–	178	#887
2000	–	–	189	#848
1995	–	–	316	#576
1990	–	–	698	#347
1985	–	–	681	#300
1980	8	#7,759	789	#272
1975	–	–	1,001	#214
1970	13	#4,367	1,919	#158
1965	6	#6,153	2,057	#152
1960	12	#3,808	2,447	#142
1955	6	#5,518	1,628	#172
1950	–	–	1,030	#199
1945	–	–	209	#416
1940	–	–	131	#506
1935	–	–	61	#794
1930	–	–	45	#1,032
1925	–	–	42	#1,084
1920	–	–	36	#1,215
1915	–	–	41	#988
1910	–	–	13	#904
1905	–	–	10	#819
1900	–	–	5	#1,414
1895	–	–	5	#1,172
1890	–	–	5	#1,085
1885	–	–	9	#675
1880	–	–	6	#875

Famous people named Kirk

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

1 Kirk Douglas American actor (1916–2020) Contemporary
2 Kirk Cameron American actor (born 1970) Contemporary
3 Kirk Acevedo American actor (born 1971) Contemporary
4 Kirk Franklin American gospel musician (born 1970) Contemporary
5 Kirk Kerkorian American businessman, investor, and philanthropist (1917–2015) Contemporary
6 Kirk Hinrich American basketball player (born 1981) Contemporary
7 Kirk Alyn American actor (1910–1999) Contemporary
8 Kirk Penney New Zealand basketball player (born 1980) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Kirk?

The median living Kirk is about 58 years old. Half of all living Kirks are between 46 and 65 years old.

How many people named Kirk are alive today?

An estimated 56 thousand people named Kirk are alive in the United States, based on 68,264 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kirk mean?

From kirk, from Northern Middle English kirke, borrowed from Old Norse kirkja, borrowed from Old English ċiriċe, from Proto-West Germanic *kirikā, borrowed from Koine Greek κῡρῐᾰκόν (kūrĭăkón), a nominalization of κῡριακός…

How popular is the name Kirk in 2025?

Kirk ranked #2,551 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 52 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kirk?

68,264 babies have been named Kirk in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kirk most popular?

Kirk peaked in 1962, when 2,560 newborns received the name.

Is Kirk a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Kirk rising or falling?

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

Will Kirk become more popular?

Kirk is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 44 boys named Kirk 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 Kirk?

Well-known people named Kirk include Kirk Douglas (actor), Kirk Cameron (actor), Kirk Acevedo (actor).

Names like Kirk

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

Compare Kirk with similar names → More names starting with K →