Howard
From an English surname, probably going back to a Norman personal name formed from Germanic elements for 'heart, mind' and 'brave', though an Old Norse source meaning 'high guardian' is also proposed.
Howard in 2025
Howard was given to 226 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,044th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 14,670 babies born.
The history of Howard
Howard reached its highest point in 1921, when 7,749 babies were given the name, ranking 58th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 57th, in 1922.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 348,342 babies have been named Howard. Half of them were born before 1937, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Howard by decade
| Decade | Babies named Howard | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,362 | 108 |
| 1890s | 5,973 | 112 |
| 1900s | 8,061 | 96 |
| 1910s | 46,823 | 60 |
| 1920s | 70,793 | 57 |
| 1930s | 51,788 | 65 |
| 1940s | 53,682 | 93 |
| 1950s | 48,009 | 136 |
| 1960s | 28,843 | 230 |
| 1970s | 13,102 | 320 |
| 1980s | 7,108 | 510 |
| 1990s | 3,915 | 842 |
| 2000s | 2,477 | 1,444 |
| 2010s | 2,111 | 1,961 |
| 2020s | 1,295 | 1,966 |
Where Howard is heading
Howard has risen 16% over the past decade, from 194 babies in 2015 to 226 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1921 peak — Howard is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Howard
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Howard.