Anderson
From Middle English Ander (“Andrew”) + -son, after Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland.
Every Anderson since 1880 — 35,646 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Anderson
Anderson is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #363 in 2025 with 898 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 35,646 American babies have been named Anderson. Its peak came in 2012, when 1,294 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 Anderson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Anderson 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 | 181 | #1,243 | 898 | #363 |
| 2024 | 118 | #1,719 | 946 | #356 |
| 2023 | 114 | #1,781 | 1,009 | #332 |
| 2022 | 100 | #1,961 | 1,001 | #337 |
| 2021 | 95 | #2,025 | 1,003 | #328 |
| 2020 | 95 | #1,979 | 1,083 | #306 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2,601 | 1,057 | #318 |
| 2018 | 79 | #2,305 | 1,173 | #297 |
| 2017 | 84 | #2,240 | 1,201 | #294 |
| 2016 | 62 | #2,762 | 1,162 | #304 |
| 2015 | 74 | #2,457 | 1,186 | #306 |
| 2014 | 51 | #3,186 | 1,163 | #304 |
| 2013 | 36 | #4,079 | 1,154 | #303 |
| 2012 | 45 | #3,532 | 1,249 | #280 |
| 2011 | 49 | #3,307 | 1,145 | #294 |
| 2010 | 40 | #3,826 | 1,021 | #313 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5,549 | 1,142 | #288 |
| 2008 | 38 | #4,098 | 1,017 | #325 |
| 2007 | 39 | #3,991 | 926 | #346 |
| 2006 | 22 | #5,927 | 754 | #399 |
| 2005 | 21 | #5,817 | 496 | #499 |
| 2004 | 29 | #4,605 | 370 | #594 |
| 2003 | 15 | #7,241 | 340 | #613 |
| 2002 | 18 | #6,151 | 281 | #664 |
| 2001 | 16 | #6,642 | 229 | #752 |
| 2000 | 11 | #8,582 | 211 | #784 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,075 | 160 | #857 |
| 1990 | — | — | 136 | #881 |
| 1985 | — | — | 98 | #917 |
| 1980 | — | — | 80 | #1,010 |
| 1975 | — | — | 65 | #1,019 |
| 1970 | — | — | 74 | #927 |
| 1965 | — | — | 79 | #826 |
| 1960 | — | — | 84 | #830 |
| 1955 | — | — | 100 | #728 |
| 1950 | — | — | 109 | #668 |
| 1945 | — | — | 96 | #616 |
| 1940 | — | — | 100 | #592 |
| 1935 | — | — | 86 | #633 |
| 1930 | — | — | 122 | #541 |
| 1925 | — | — | 128 | #543 |
| 1920 | — | — | 180 | #451 |
| 1915 | — | — | 121 | #506 |
| 1910 | — | — | 52 | #353 |
| 1905 | — | — | 45 | #299 |
| 1900 | — | — | 56 | #275 |
| 1895 | — | — | 31 | #329 |
| 1890 | — | — | 59 | #216 |
| 1885 | — | — | 42 | #256 |
| 1880 | — | — | 43 | #252 |
Famous people named Anderson
- Anderson Silva Martial arts · b. 1975
- Anderson Soccer player · b. 1988
- Anderson Cooper Writer · b. 1967
- Anderson Varejão Basketball player · b. 1982
- Anderson Luis da Silva Soccer player · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Anderson mean?
From Middle English Ander (“Andrew”) + -son, after Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland.
How popular is the name Anderson in 2025?
Anderson ranked #363 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 898 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Anderson?
35,646 babies have been named Anderson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Anderson most popular?
Anderson peaked in 2012, when 1,294 newborns received the name.
Is Anderson a boy or girl name?
Anderson is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Anderson rising or falling?
Anderson has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Anderson?
Well-known people named Anderson include Anderson Silva (martial arts), Anderson (soccer player), Anderson Cooper (writer).