Woodson: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,450

among boys · ↑296 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Woodson · +17% vs 2024

How common

1 in 30,501

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2025

56 babies

All-time total

1,359

#4,224 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Woodson popularity over time

1,359 babies have been named Woodson 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

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	30	3	–	#693
1890s	21	2	-30%	#835
1900s	25	3	+19%	#1,061
1910s	187	19	+648%	#1,239
1920s	170	17	-9%	#1,641
1930s	120	12	-29%	#1,753
1940s	137	14	+14%	#1,610
1950s	94	9	-31%	#2,008
1960s	57	6	-39%	#2,980
1970s	12	1	-79%	#5,089
1980s	30	3	+150%	#4,226
1990s	12	1	-60%	#7,241
2000s	55	6	+358%	#8,294
2010s	182	18	+231%	#3,769
2020s (to 2025)	227	38	+108%	#2,450

Where Woodson is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	62	0.04	outside top 500
2027	67	0.04	outside top 500
2028	73	0.04	outside top 500
2029	77	0.05	outside top 500
2030	81	0.05	outside top 500

The story of Woodson

Woodson is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,450 in 2025 with 56 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 1,359 American babies have been named Woodson. Its peak came in 2025, when 56 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 Woodson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Woodson?

The median living Woodson is about 11 years old; half are between 4 and 62. An estimated 700 people named Woodson are alive in the United States today.

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

Woodson year by year

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

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	56	#2,450
2024	48	#2,746
2023	34	#3,468
2022	36	#3,334
2021	25	#4,236
2020	28	#3,807
2019	24	#4,326
2018	28	#3,884
2017	29	#3,769
2016	23	#4,460
2015	18	#5,280
2014	17	#5,470
2013	13	#6,585
2012	15	#5,982
2011	10	#8,046
2010	5	#14,162
2009	8	#9,825
2008	10	#8,294
2007	5	#14,308
2006	5	#13,946
2005	–	–
2004	6	#11,297
2003	–	–
2002	8	#8,420
2001	7	#9,205
2000	6	#10,308
1995	5	#10,289
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	8	#4,928
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	7	#3,534
1960	8	#3,334
1955	5	#4,391
1950	7	#3,323
1945	11	#2,240
1940	10	#2,476
1935	17	#1,753
1930	9	#3,017
1925	17	#2,007
1920	23	#1,641
1915	27	#1,305
1910	5	#1,835
1905	5	#1,421
1900	6	#1,307
1895	–	–
1890	5	#1,161
1885	–	–
1880	8	#743

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Woodson?

The median living Woodson is about 11 years old. Half of all living Woodsons are between 4 and 62 years old.

How many people named Woodson are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Woodson are alive in the United States, based on 1,359 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Woodson mean?

Woodson is a patronymic surname.

How popular is the name Woodson in 2025?

Woodson ranked #2,450 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 56 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Woodson?

1,359 babies have been named Woodson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Woodson most popular?

Woodson peaked in 2025, when 56 newborns received the name.

Is Woodson a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Woodson rising or falling?

Woodson is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Woodson become more popular?

Woodson is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 81 boys named Woodson in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Woodson

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

Compare Woodson with similar names → More names starting with W →