River
Every River since 1971 — 59,351 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of River
River is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #111 in 2025 with 3,139 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1971, 59,351 American babies have been named River — about 67% boys and 33% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2022, when 5,430 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 River stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
River 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 | 1,401 | #220 | 3,139 | #111 |
| 2024 | 1,442 | #215 | 3,160 | #112 |
| 2023 | 1,587 | #193 | 3,117 | #116 |
| 2022 | 1,930 | #150 | 3,500 | #105 |
| 2021 | 1,886 | #149 | 3,504 | #110 |
| 2020 | 1,562 | #184 | 2,816 | #129 |
| 2019 | 1,441 | #212 | 2,371 | #168 |
| 2018 | 1,333 | #244 | 2,078 | #197 |
| 2017 | 1,181 | #270 | 1,969 | #200 |
| 2016 | 1,132 | #285 | 1,852 | #212 |
| 2015 | 951 | #348 | 1,516 | #244 |
| 2014 | 708 | #453 | 1,243 | #287 |
| 2013 | 488 | #586 | 830 | #371 |
| 2012 | 412 | #683 | 722 | #405 |
| 2011 | 293 | #892 | 645 | #424 |
| 2010 | 262 | #975 | 634 | #434 |
| 2009 | 281 | #951 | 619 | #449 |
| 2008 | 249 | #1,052 | 611 | #454 |
| 2007 | 229 | #1,130 | 464 | #554 |
| 2006 | 181 | #1,298 | 505 | #514 |
| 2005 | 92 | #2,051 | 476 | #517 |
| 2004 | 100 | #1,890 | 420 | #549 |
| 2003 | 72 | #2,341 | 388 | #571 |
| 2002 | 67 | #2,405 | 329 | #611 |
| 2001 | 72 | #2,254 | 323 | #608 |
| 2000 | 51 | #2,849 | 314 | #612 |
| 1995 | 25 | #4,189 | 278 | #619 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,359 | 33 | #2,205 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | 7 | #4,681 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named River
- River Phoenix Actor · 1970–1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name River in 2025?
River ranked #111 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,139 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named River?
59,351 babies have been named River in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name River most popular?
River peaked in 2022, when 5,430 newborns received the name.
Is River a boy or girl name?
River is used for both: about 33% of babies named River have been girls and 67% boys.
Is the name River rising or falling?
River is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named River?
Well-known people named River include River Phoenix (actor).