Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1981

Ming

Meaning A male or female given name Gender Unisex · 29% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A male or female given name.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Ming
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1981
23 babies
All-time total
491
#9,757 all-time among boys
First recorded
1920
in Social Security records

Ming popularity over time

491 babies have been named Ming since 1920, 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
00.010.010.0118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – – – – – –
1920s – 5 5 1 – #4,750
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – 17 17 2 – #3,800
1970s 21 33 54 5 +218% #4,179
1980s 21 77 98 10 +81% #3,161
1990s 25 80 105 11 +7% #4,332
2000s 62 75 137 14 +30% #6,955
2010s 13 41 54 5 -61% #9,283
2020s (to 2025) – 21 21 4 -35% #9,575

The story of Ming

Ming 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 1920, 491 American babies have been named Ming, about 71% boys and 29% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1981, when 23 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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

How old are people named Ming?

The median living Ming is about 29 years old; half are between 19 and 41. An estimated 500 people named Ming are alive in the United States today.

median 29 020406080100

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

Ming 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 – – 8 #9,575
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 6 #11,831
2021 – – – –
2020 – – 7 #10,243
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – 6 #11,724
2016 – – – –
2015 – – 8 #9,283
2014 – – 5 #13,395
2013 6 #15,930 7 #10,364
2012 – – 5 #13,575
2011 – – 5 #13,672
2010 7 #14,490 5 #13,610
2009 – – 5 #13,826
2008 7 #14,900 – –
2007 9 #12,343 9 #8,684
2006 8 #13,216 7 #10,292
2005 8 #12,641 11 #6,955
2004 – – 9 #7,969
2003 6 #15,158 9 #7,641
2002 5 #17,257 8 #8,202
2001 7 #13,006 8 #8,062
2000 12 #8,383 9 #7,214
1995 – – 8 #6,782
1990 5 #14,444 13 #4,332
1985 5 #11,829 5 #7,237
1980 – – 7 #5,315
1975 6 #8,666 8 #4,179
1970 – – 5 #5,206
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – 5 #4,750
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Ming?

The median living Ming is about 29 years old. Half of all living Mings are between 19 and 41 years old.

How many people named Ming are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Ming are alive in the United States, based on 491 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Ming mean?

A male or female given name.

How popular is the name Ming in 2025?

Ming 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 Ming?

491 babies have been named Ming in the United States since 1920, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ming most popular?

Ming peaked in 1981, when 23 newborns received the name.

Is Ming a boy or girl name?

Ming is used for both: about 29% of babies named Ming have been girls and 71% boys.

Is the name Ming rising or falling?

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

Names like Ming

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

Compare Ming with similar names → More names starting with M →