Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1918

Sim

Meaning From Middle English Sym, diminutive of Simeon and Simon Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

From Middle English Sym, diminutive of Simeon and Simon.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Sim
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1918
40 babies
All-time total
1,933
#3,382 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Sim popularity over time

1,933 babies have been named Sim 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1882Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 200 20 – #305
1890s 140 14 -30% #412
1900s 143 14 +2% #467
1910s 269 27 +88% #918
1920s 312 31 +16% #1,179
1930s 226 23 -28% #1,213
1940s 210 21 -7% #1,434
1950s 168 17 -20% #1,626
1960s 105 11 -37% #2,020
1970s 63 6 -40% #3,421
1980s 56 6 -11% #3,916
1990s 10 1 -82% #10,106
2000s 26 3 +160% #12,144
2010s 5 1 -81% #13,961
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Sim

Sim 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 1880, 1,933 American babies have been named Sim. Its peak came in 1918, when 40 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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

How old are people named Sim?

The median living Sim is about 67 years old; half are between 52 and 77. An estimated 500 people named Sim 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.

Sim year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 5 #13,961
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 6 #12,144
2006 5 #13,724
2005 – –
2004 5 #12,951
2003 5 #12,489
2002 5 #12,233
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 5 #10,106
1990 – –
1985 5 #7,436
1980 5 #7,154
1975 – –
1970 8 #3,790
1965 10 #2,754
1960 13 #2,410
1955 17 #1,967
1950 17 #1,871
1945 16 #1,759
1940 20 #1,563
1935 18 #1,703
1930 25 #1,491
1925 27 #1,446
1920 38 #1,179
1915 32 #1,155
1910 10 #1,107
1905 15 #633
1900 25 #467
1895 11 #672
1890 20 #412
1885 22 #385
1880 16 #462

Famous people named Sim

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

  1. 1 Sim Iness Sim Iness American discus thrower 1930–1996 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Sim Kwon-ho South Korean Greco-Roman wrestler b. 1972 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Sim?

The median living Sim is about 67 years old. Half of all living Sims are between 52 and 77 years old.

How many people named Sim are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Sim are alive in the United States, based on 1,933 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sim mean?

From Middle English Sym, diminutive of Simeon and Simon.

How popular is the name Sim in 2025?

Sim 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 Sim?

1,933 babies have been named Sim in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sim most popular?

Sim peaked in 1918, when 40 newborns received the name.

Is Sim a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Sim rising or falling?

Sim has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Sim?

Well-known people named Sim include Sim Iness (athlete), Sim Kwon-ho (wrestler).

Names like Sim

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

Compare Sim with similar names → More names starting with S →