Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1939

Ned

Meaning From rebracketing of the phrase mine Ed to my Ned Gender Boy Rank 2025 #9,452

From rebracketing of the phrase mine Ed to my Ned.

Rank 2025
#9,452
among boys · ↓1,848 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Ned
How common
1 in 213,510
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1939
319 babies
All-time total
17,297
#897 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Ned popularity over time

17,297 babies have been named Ned 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
0.130.250.380.518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 285 285 29 – #289
1890s – 350 350 35 +23% #240
1900s – 367 367 37 +5% #291
1910s – 1,877 1,877 188 +411% #325
1920s – 2,850 2,850 285 +52% #324
1930s 5 2,710 2,715 272 -5% #312
1940s – 2,786 2,786 279 +3% #339
1950s – 2,596 2,596 260 -7% #396
1960s – 1,533 1,533 153 -41% #531
1970s – 777 777 78 -49% #770
1980s – 513 513 51 -34% #1,063
1990s – 281 281 28 -45% #1,694
2000s – 178 178 18 -37% #3,588
2010s – 123 123 12 -31% #5,450
2020s (to 2025) – 66 66 11 -11% #5,399

The story of Ned

Ned is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,452 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 17,297 American babies have been named Ned. Its peak came in 1939, when 319 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 Ned stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ned?

The median living Ned is about 67 years old; half are between 54 and 77. An estimated 6,900 people named Ned 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.

Ned 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 – – 8 #9,452
2024 – – 11 #7,604
2023 – – 15 #6,136
2022 – – 6 #11,876
2021 – – 9 #8,635
2020 – – 17 #5,399
2019 – – 15 #6,021
2018 – – 12 #6,997
2017 – – 5 #13,665
2016 – – 10 #7,979
2015 – – 17 #5,450
2014 – – 11 #7,395
2013 – – 14 #6,147
2012 – – 12 #6,913
2011 – – 16 #5,598
2010 – – 11 #7,437
2009 – – 11 #7,556
2008 – – 12 #7,070
2007 – – 16 #5,616
2006 – – 16 #5,462
2005 – – 27 #3,588
2004 – – 23 #3,965
2003 – – 18 #4,566
2002 – – 21 #4,005
2001 – – 19 #4,241
2000 – – 15 #4,976
1995 – – 28 #2,666
1990 – – 48 #1,694
1985 – – 51 #1,367
1980 – – 73 #1,063
1975 – – 81 #914
1970 – – 98 #822
1965 – – 127 #659
1960 – – 222 #531
1955 – – 268 #454
1950 – – 280 #404
1945 – – 256 #376
1940 – – 282 #339
1935 – – 255 #346
1930 – – 259 #354
1925 – – 280 #353
1920 – – 284 #350
1915 – – 252 #334
1910 – – 45 #392
1905 – – 27 #419
1900 – – 46 #310
1895 – – 38 #293
1890 – – 49 #240
1885 – – 26 #340
1880 – – 33 #289

Famous people named Ned

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

  1. 1 Ned Kelly Ned Kelly Australian bushranger (1854–1880) 1855–1880 · 19th century
  2. 2 Ned Beatty Ned Beatty American actor (1937–2021) Contemporary
  3. 3 Ned Maddrell Ned Maddrell Last native speaker of Manx (1877–1974) 19th century
  4. 4 Ned Zelic Australian soccer player (born 1971) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Ned?

The median living Ned is about 67 years old. Half of all living Neds are between 54 and 77 years old.

How many people named Ned are alive today?

An estimated 6,900 people named Ned are alive in the United States, based on 17,297 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Ned mean?

From rebracketing of the phrase mine Ed to my Ned.

How popular is the name Ned in 2025?

Ned ranked #9,452 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Ned?

17,297 babies have been named Ned in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ned most popular?

Ned peaked in 1939, when 319 newborns received the name.

Is Ned a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Ned rising or falling?

Ned has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Ned?

Well-known people named Ned include Ned Kelly (mafioso), Ned Beatty (actor), Ned Maddrell (religious figure).

Names like Ned

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

Compare Ned with similar names → More names starting with N →