Duke
Taken from the English noble title, which came through Old French from Latin dux, a leader or commander. It also exists as a surname for someone in a duke's household.
Duke in 2025
Duke was given to 390 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,401st most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 8,501 babies born.
The history of Duke
Duke reached its highest point in 2018, when 529 babies were given the name, ranking 1,106th that year.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 11,595 babies have been named Duke. Half of them were born before 2012, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Duke by decade
| Decade | Babies named Duke | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 35 | 1,401 |
| 1890s | 67 | 1,757 |
| 1900s | 71 | 1,829 |
| 1910s | 276 | 1,979 |
| 1920s | 362 | 2,088 |
| 1930s | 344 | 1,909 |
| 1940s | 429 | 1,957 |
| 1950s | 780 | 1,663 |
| 1960s | 795 | 1,806 |
| 1970s | 553 | 2,188 |
| 1980s | 450 | 3,112 |
| 1990s | 566 | 3,133 |
| 2000s | 756 | 3,504 |
| 2010s | 3,699 | 1,106 |
| 2020s | 2,412 | 1,292 |
Where Duke is heading
Duke has fallen 14% over the past decade, from 455 babies in 2015 to 390 in 2025.
Names like Duke
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Duke.