Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1982

Nguyen

Gender Unisex · 20% girls Rank 2025 #13,330
Rank 2025
#13,330
among boys · ↓1,399 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Nguyen
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1982
29 babies
All-time total
599
#8,067 all-time among boys
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Nguyen popularity over time

599 babies have been named Nguyen since 1975, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s 7 37 44 4 – #3,641
1980s 38 140 178 18 +305% #2,548
1990s 48 125 173 17 -3% #3,562
2000s 19 86 105 11 -39% #5,243
2010s 5 68 73 7 -30% #7,880
2020s (to 2025) – 26 26 4 -41% #11,931

The story of Nguyen

Nguyen is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,330 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1975, 599 American babies have been named Nguyen, about 80% boys and 20% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 29 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 Nguyen stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nguyen?

The median living Nguyen is about 32 years old; half are between 21 and 40. An estimated 600 people named Nguyen are alive in the United States today.

median 32 020406080100

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

Nguyen 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 – – 5 #13,330
2024 – – 6 #11,931
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 5 #13,761
2021 – – 5 #13,499
2020 – – 5 #13,492
2019 – – 6 #11,738
2018 – – 7 #10,419
2017 – – 6 #11,777
2016 – – 6 #11,734
2015 – – 10 #7,880
2014 – – 6 #11,714
2013 – – 5 #13,483
2012 5 #18,796 8 #9,459
2011 – – 6 #11,853
2010 – – 8 #9,417
2009 – – 13 #6,704
2008 – – 7 #10,694
2007 – – – –
2006 5 #19,233 7 #10,341
2005 – – 10 #7,499
2004 – – 9 #7,987
2003 6 #15,231 8 #8,393
2002 8 #11,887 6 #10,277
2001 – – 12 #5,915
2000 – – 14 #5,243
1995 – – 18 #3,659
1990 5 #14,523 16 #3,725
1985 6 #10,233 10 #4,251
1980 5 #11,593 17 #2,807
1975 7 #7,709 8 #4,189
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nguyen?

The median living Nguyen is about 32 years old. Half of all living Nguyens are between 21 and 40 years old.

How many people named Nguyen are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Nguyen are alive in the United States, based on 599 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Nguyen in 2025?

Nguyen ranked #13,330 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nguyen?

599 babies have been named Nguyen in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nguyen most popular?

Nguyen peaked in 1982, when 29 newborns received the name.

Is Nguyen a boy or girl name?

Nguyen is used for both: about 20% of babies named Nguyen have been girls and 80% boys.

Is the name Nguyen rising or falling?

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

Names like Nguyen

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

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