Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1967

Thad

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #9,610

A diminutive of the male given names Thaddeus and Thaddaeus, sometimes also used as a formal given name.

Rank 2025
#9,610
among boys · ↑4,426 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Thad
How common
1 in 213,510
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1967
365 babies
All-time total
8,224
#1,349 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Thad popularity over time

8,224 babies have been named Thad 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
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 102 102 10 – #456
1890s – 90 90 9 -12% #497
1900s – 126 126 13 +40% #485
1910s – 329 329 33 +161% #854
1920s – 509 509 51 +55% #896
1930s 5 466 471 47 -7% #822
1940s – 543 543 54 +15% #856
1950s – 747 747 75 +38% #726
1960s – 1,963 1,963 196 +163% #401
1970s – 1,791 1,791 179 -9% #499
1980s – 653 653 65 -64% #953
1990s – 376 376 38 -42% #1,462
2000s – 271 271 27 -28% #2,522
2010s – 197 197 20 -27% #3,701
2020s (to 2025) – 56 56 9 -53% #5,535

The story of Thad

Thad is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,610 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 8,224 American babies have been named Thad. Its peak came in 1967, when 365 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Thad?

The median living Thad is about 54 years old; half are between 45 and 60. An estimated 5,700 people named Thad are alive in the United States today.

median 54 020406080100

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

Thad 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 #9,610
2024 – – 5 #14,036
2023 – – 9 #8,847
2022 – – 9 #8,911
2021 – – 17 #5,535
2020 – – 8 #9,470
2019 – – 17 #5,536
2018 – – 14 #6,303
2017 – – 18 #5,279
2016 – – 12 #7,100
2015 – – 18 #5,266
2014 – – 26 #3,996
2013 – – 19 #4,956
2012 – – 29 #3,701
2011 – – 20 #4,805
2010 – – 24 #4,220
2009 – – 23 #4,417
2008 – – 23 #4,376
2007 – – 20 #4,783
2006 – – 36 #3,079
2005 – – 30 #3,381
2004 – – 26 #3,622
2003 – – 25 #3,618
2002 – – 18 #4,476
2001 – – 32 #2,921
2000 – – 38 #2,522
1995 – – 33 #2,395
1990 – – 60 #1,462
1985 – – 62 #1,212
1980 – – 80 #1,017
1975 – – 156 #663
1970 – – 260 #500
1965 – – 136 #644
1960 – – 118 #719
1955 – – 85 #800
1950 – – 45 #1,061
1945 – – 50 #913
1940 – – 51 #890
1935 – – 45 #954
1930 – – 52 #941
1925 – – 47 #1,008
1920 – – 47 #1,017
1915 – – 36 #1,081
1910 – – 8 #1,297
1905 – – 14 #661
1900 – – 14 #695
1895 – – 11 #676
1890 – – 8 #805
1885 – – 10 #636
1880 – – 6 #900

Famous people named Thad

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

  1. 1 Thad Luckinbill Thad Luckinbill American actor (born 1975) Contemporary
  2. 2 Thad Cochran Thad Cochran American attorney and politician (1937–2019) Contemporary
  3. 3 Thad Jones Thad Jones American jazz trumpeter (1923–1986) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Thad?

The median living Thad is about 54 years old. Half of all living Thads are between 45 and 60 years old.

How many people named Thad are alive today?

An estimated 5,700 people named Thad are alive in the United States, based on 8,224 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Thad mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Thaddeus and Thaddaeus, sometimes also used as a formal given name.

How popular is the name Thad in 2025?

Thad ranked #9,610 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 Thad?

8,224 babies have been named Thad in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Thad most popular?

Thad peaked in 1967, when 365 newborns received the name.

Is Thad a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Thad rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Thad?

Well-known people named Thad include Thad Luckinbill (actor), Thad Cochran (politician), Thad Jones (musician).

Names like Thad

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

Compare Thad with similar names → More names starting with T →