Adrian
From Latin Hadrianus (“from the Roman harbor Hadria”) a place name ultimately from Etruscan 𐌇𐌀𐌕𐌓𐌉𐌀 (hatria).
Every Adrian since 1880 — 287,982 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Adrian
Adrian is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #74 in 2025 with 4,464 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 287,982 American babies have been named Adrian — about 95% boys and 5% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2008, when 8,100 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Adrian stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Adrian 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 | 41 | #3,645 | 4,464 | #74 |
| 2024 | 58 | #2,857 | 4,642 | #72 |
| 2023 | 70 | #2,518 | 4,666 | #67 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,756 | 5,044 | #63 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2,384 | 5,144 | #61 |
| 2020 | 64 | #2,632 | 5,321 | #58 |
| 2019 | 84 | #2,194 | 5,786 | #56 |
| 2018 | 79 | #2,302 | 5,817 | #62 |
| 2017 | 114 | #1,815 | 6,236 | #58 |
| 2016 | 108 | #1,884 | 6,337 | #60 |
| 2015 | 84 | #2,236 | 6,540 | #58 |
| 2014 | 106 | #1,893 | 6,706 | #59 |
| 2013 | 126 | #1,675 | 6,854 | #60 |
| 2012 | 133 | #1,624 | 6,952 | #61 |
| 2011 | 164 | #1,392 | 7,349 | #56 |
| 2010 | 163 | #1,402 | 7,409 | #56 |
| 2009 | 160 | #1,450 | 7,633 | #59 |
| 2008 | 162 | #1,453 | 7,938 | #56 |
| 2007 | 181 | #1,340 | 7,742 | #61 |
| 2006 | 179 | #1,307 | 7,383 | #63 |
| 2005 | 169 | #1,307 | 6,727 | #65 |
| 2004 | 170 | #1,264 | 6,140 | #72 |
| 2003 | 171 | #1,233 | 6,110 | #68 |
| 2002 | 197 | #1,077 | 5,684 | #73 |
| 2001 | 189 | #1,117 | 5,424 | #75 |
| 2000 | 212 | #999 | 5,341 | #78 |
| 1995 | 229 | #853 | 3,911 | #96 |
| 1990 | 376 | #602 | 4,000 | #94 |
| 1985 | 388 | #517 | 3,132 | #93 |
| 1980 | 346 | #544 | 2,393 | #115 |
| 1975 | 212 | #699 | 1,953 | #133 |
| 1970 | 214 | #717 | 1,295 | #200 |
| 1965 | 116 | #951 | 772 | #268 |
| 1960 | 106 | #1,043 | 555 | #327 |
| 1955 | 90 | #1,062 | 431 | #348 |
| 1950 | 102 | #876 | 298 | #390 |
| 1945 | 42 | #1,232 | 231 | #395 |
| 1940 | 29 | #1,404 | 237 | #370 |
| 1935 | 23 | #1,550 | 211 | #372 |
| 1930 | 16 | #2,112 | 205 | #410 |
| 1925 | 17 | #2,193 | 267 | #363 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,601 | 284 | #348 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,528 | 231 | #351 |
| 1910 | — | — | 42 | #415 |
| 1905 | — | — | 33 | #360 |
| 1900 | — | — | 27 | #430 |
| 1895 | — | — | 18 | #477 |
| 1890 | — | — | 17 | #434 |
| 1885 | — | — | 12 | #547 |
| 1880 | — | — | 18 | #403 |
Famous people named Adrian
- Adrian Willaert Composer · 1490–1562
- Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia Religious figure · 300–306
- Adrian Smith Musician · b. 1957
- Adrian Frutiger Designer · 1928–2015
- Adrian Lyne Film director · b. 1941
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Adrian mean?
From Latin Hadrianus (“from the Roman harbor Hadria”) a place name ultimately from Etruscan 𐌇𐌀𐌕𐌓𐌉𐌀 (hatria).
How popular is the name Adrian in 2025?
Adrian ranked #74 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,464 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Adrian?
287,982 babies have been named Adrian in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Adrian most popular?
Adrian peaked in 2008, when 8,100 newborns received the name.
Is Adrian a boy or girl name?
Adrian is used for both: about 5% of babies named Adrian have been girls and 95% boys.
Is the name Adrian rising or falling?
Adrian is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Adrian?
Well-known people named Adrian include Adrian Willaert (composer), Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia (religious figure), Adrian Smith (musician).