Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2018

Thunder

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #5,368
Rank 2025
#5,368
among boys · ↑1,423 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
18
named Thunder
How common
1 in 94,893
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2018
30 babies
All-time total
562
#7,365 all-time among boys
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Thunder popularity over time

562 babies have been named Thunder 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2018Boys

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 – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s 14 1 – #4,374
1980s 16 2 +14% #5,701
1990s 118 12 +638% #3,969
2000s 133 13 +13% #4,369
2010s 163 16 +23% #3,695
2020s (to 2025) 118 20 +21% #3,980

The story of Thunder

Thunder is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,368 in 2025 with 18 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1975, 562 American babies have been named Thunder. Its peak came in 2018, when 30 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 Thunder stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Thunder?

The median living Thunder is about 15 years old; half are between 7 and 26. An estimated 600 people named Thunder are alive in the United States today.

median 15 020406080100

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

Thunder year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 18 #5,368
2024 13 #6,791
2023 19 #5,230
2022 28 #3,980
2021 24 #4,349
2020 16 #5,674
2019 15 #6,070
2018 30 #3,695
2017 21 #4,733
2016 10 #8,091
2015 17 #5,487
2014 18 #5,238
2013 14 #6,207
2012 11 #7,500
2011 12 #6,962
2010 15 #6,005
2009 10 #8,247
2008 10 #8,245
2007 12 #7,037
2006 12 #6,869
2005 12 #6,591
2004 14 #5,769
2003 13 #5,851
2002 18 #4,477
2001 14 #5,368
2000 18 #4,369
1995 11 #5,468
1990 5 #9,370
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 5 #6,257
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Thunder

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

  1. 1 Thunder Thunder South Korean singer b. 1990 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Thunder?

The median living Thunder is about 15 years old. Half of all living Thunders are between 7 and 26 years old.

How many people named Thunder are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Thunder are alive in the United States, based on 562 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Thunder in 2025?

Thunder ranked #5,368 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 18 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Thunder?

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

When was the name Thunder most popular?

Thunder peaked in 2018, when 30 newborns received the name.

Is Thunder a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Thunder rising or falling?

Thunder has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Thunder?

Well-known people named Thunder include Thunder (actor).

Names like Thunder

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

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