Deborah
Every Deborah since 1880 — 744,478 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Deborah
Deborah is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #864 in 2025 with 313 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 744,478 American babies have been named Deborah. Its peak came in 1954, when 54,754 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Deborah stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Deborah 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 | 313 | #864 | — | — |
| 2024 | 317 | #854 | — | — |
| 2023 | 267 | #968 | — | — |
| 2022 | 301 | #911 | — | — |
| 2021 | 295 | #910 | — | — |
| 2020 | 291 | #904 | — | — |
| 2019 | 296 | #900 | — | — |
| 2018 | 350 | #781 | — | — |
| 2017 | 357 | #773 | — | — |
| 2016 | 349 | #823 | — | — |
| 2015 | 350 | #804 | — | — |
| 2014 | 373 | #752 | — | — |
| 2013 | 330 | #815 | — | — |
| 2012 | 337 | #793 | — | — |
| 2011 | 332 | #811 | — | — |
| 2010 | 355 | #774 | — | — |
| 2009 | 346 | #817 | — | — |
| 2008 | 356 | #808 | — | — |
| 2007 | 372 | #777 | — | — |
| 2006 | 425 | #672 | — | — |
| 2005 | 425 | #653 | — | — |
| 2004 | 427 | #640 | — | — |
| 2003 | 423 | #632 | — | — |
| 2002 | 474 | #559 | — | — |
| 2001 | 490 | #543 | — | — |
| 2000 | 546 | #494 | — | — |
| 1995 | 659 | #398 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,095 | #262 | 5 | #8,415 |
| 1985 | 1,400 | #192 | 7 | #5,276 |
| 1980 | 1,937 | #146 | 7 | #5,056 |
| 1975 | 3,414 | #86 | 15 | #2,665 |
| 1970 | 9,845 | #33 | 28 | #1,629 |
| 1965 | 17,081 | #13 | 44 | #1,131 |
| 1960 | 25,266 | #10 | 64 | #946 |
| 1955 | 52,318 | #2 | 100 | #729 |
| 1950 | 29,063 | #7 | 47 | #1,025 |
| 1945 | 1,462 | #161 | — | — |
| 1940 | 470 | #291 | — | — |
| 1935 | 281 | #378 | — | — |
| 1930 | 165 | #529 | — | — |
| 1925 | 82 | #821 | — | — |
| 1920 | 82 | #799 | — | — |
| 1915 | 105 | #644 | — | — |
| 1910 | 33 | #740 | — | — |
| 1905 | 18 | #879 | — | — |
| 1900 | 26 | #707 | — | — |
| 1895 | 13 | #900 | — | — |
| 1890 | 24 | #540 | — | — |
| 1885 | 10 | #701 | — | — |
| 1880 | 12 | #499 | — | — |
Famous people named Deborah
- Deborah Judge · -1199–-1123
- Deborah Kerr Actor · 1921–2007
- Deborah Lipstadt Historian · b. 1947
- Deborah Kara Unger Actor · b. 1966
- Deborah Shelton Celebrity · b. 1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Deborah in 2025?
Deborah ranked #864 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 313 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Deborah?
744,478 babies have been named Deborah in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Deborah most popular?
Deborah peaked in 1954, when 54,754 newborns received the name.
Is Deborah a boy or girl name?
Deborah is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Deborah rising or falling?
Deborah has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Deborah?
Well-known people named Deborah include Deborah (judge), Deborah Kerr (actor), Deborah Lipstadt (historian).