boys' name · peaked 1918

Freeman

A male given name transferred from the surname.

Every Freeman since 1880 — 10,996 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls
Rank 2025
#4,072
among boys
Babies in 2025
26
named Freeman
Peak year
1918
229 babies
All-time total
10,996
since 1880

The story of Freeman

Freeman is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,072 in 2025 with 26 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 10,996 American babies have been named Freeman. Its peak came in 1918, when 229 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Freeman stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Freeman 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 26 #4,072
2024 31 #3,633
2023 29 #3,825
2022 28 #3,923
2021 31 #3,603
2020 24 #4,183
2019 28 #3,832
2018 36 #3,190
2017 28 #3,814
2016 32 #3,466
2015 27 #3,917
2014 35 #3,170
2013 35 #3,147
2012 30 #3,560
2011 31 #3,459
2010 21 #4,571
2009 37 #3,126
2008 33 #3,367
2007 36 #3,152
2006 38 #2,947
2005 33 #3,111
2004 37 #2,804
2003 29 #3,220
2002 36 #2,656
2001 35 #2,707
2000 41 #2,347
1995 39 #2,115
1990 50 #1,641
1985 57 #1,270
1980 53 #1,276
1975 61 #1,072
1970 67 #995
1965 76 #845
1960 105 #753
1955 108 #705
1950 114 #654
1945 114 #564
1940 121 #533
1935 112 #545
1930 164 #463
1925 190 #434
1920 201 #419
1915 171 #414
1910 52 #357
1905 47 #290
1900 44 #320
1895 27 #363
1890 28 #330
1885 27 #329
1880 26 #337

Famous people named Freeman

  1. Freeman Dyson Physicist · 1923–2020
  2. Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon Politician · 1866–1941

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Freeman mean?

A male given name transferred from the surname.

How popular is the name Freeman in 2025?

Freeman ranked #4,072 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 26 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Freeman?

10,996 babies have been named Freeman in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Freeman most popular?

Freeman peaked in 1918, when 229 newborns received the name.

Is Freeman a boy or girl name?

Freeman is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Freeman rising or falling?

Freeman has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Freeman?

Well-known people named Freeman include Freeman Dyson (physicist), Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (politician).

Names like Freeman

Compare Freeman with similar names →