Rigel
Every Rigel since 1976 — 642 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rigel
Rigel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,158 in 2025 with 19 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1976, 642 American babies have been named Rigel. Its peak came in 2016, when 34 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Rigel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rigel 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 | — | — | 19 | #5,158 |
| 2024 | — | — | 15 | #6,125 |
| 2023 | — | — | 22 | #4,712 |
| 2022 | — | — | 20 | #4,983 |
| 2021 | — | — | 23 | #4,461 |
| 2020 | — | — | 17 | #5,410 |
| 2019 | — | — | 22 | #4,609 |
| 2018 | — | — | 34 | #3,357 |
| 2017 | — | — | 26 | #4,081 |
| 2016 | — | — | 34 | #3,349 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,565 | 27 | #3,966 |
| 2014 | — | — | 22 | #4,503 |
| 2013 | — | — | 13 | #6,537 |
| 2012 | — | — | 11 | #7,439 |
| 2011 | — | — | 15 | #5,888 |
| 2010 | — | — | 10 | #8,012 |
| 2009 | — | — | 17 | #5,498 |
| 2008 | — | — | 15 | #6,002 |
| 2007 | — | — | 16 | #5,627 |
| 2006 | — | — | 12 | #6,819 |
| 2005 | — | — | 11 | #7,011 |
| 2004 | — | — | 9 | #8,039 |
| 2003 | — | — | 13 | #5,816 |
| 2002 | — | — | 11 | #6,431 |
| 2001 | — | — | 10 | #6,830 |
| 2000 | — | — | 14 | #5,258 |
| 1995 | — | — | 9 | #6,309 |
| 1990 | — | — | 7 | #7,012 |
| 1985 | — | — | 6 | #6,361 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,699 | 10 | #4,070 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Rigel in 2025?
Rigel ranked #5,158 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 19 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rigel?
642 babies have been named Rigel in the United States since 1976, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rigel most popular?
Rigel peaked in 2016, when 34 newborns received the name.
Is Rigel a boy or girl name?
Rigel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rigel rising or falling?
Rigel has been roughly stable over the past decade.