Hunter
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Hunter since 1880 — 276,622 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hunter
Hunter is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #130 in 2025 with 2,761 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 276,622 American babies have been named Hunter — about 95% boys and 5% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2000, when 13,252 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 Hunter stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hunter 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 | 323 | #842 | 2,761 | #130 |
| 2024 | 307 | #881 | 2,852 | #128 |
| 2023 | 347 | #806 | 3,131 | #115 |
| 2022 | 364 | #782 | 3,605 | #101 |
| 2021 | 340 | #818 | 4,206 | #86 |
| 2020 | 329 | #832 | 4,786 | #68 |
| 2019 | 311 | #862 | 5,398 | #66 |
| 2018 | 329 | #825 | 6,117 | #56 |
| 2017 | 384 | #737 | 6,760 | #53 |
| 2016 | 338 | #842 | 7,681 | #45 |
| 2015 | 356 | #793 | 8,367 | #41 |
| 2014 | 364 | #769 | 8,841 | #40 |
| 2013 | 273 | #931 | 8,988 | #36 |
| 2012 | 208 | #1,182 | 8,053 | #45 |
| 2011 | 197 | #1,219 | 7,380 | #55 |
| 2010 | 178 | #1,321 | 7,334 | #58 |
| 2009 | 186 | #1,301 | 7,751 | #56 |
| 2008 | 200 | #1,257 | 8,045 | #54 |
| 2007 | 212 | #1,195 | 8,218 | #57 |
| 2006 | 244 | #1,052 | 8,574 | #54 |
| 2005 | 236 | #1,028 | 8,512 | #53 |
| 2004 | 354 | #742 | 8,902 | #49 |
| 2003 | 324 | #767 | 9,900 | #41 |
| 2002 | 472 | #561 | 11,085 | #38 |
| 2001 | 628 | #441 | 11,335 | #36 |
| 2000 | 714 | #402 | 12,538 | #35 |
| 1995 | 774 | #342 | 6,715 | #53 |
| 1990 | 37 | #3,039 | 1,391 | #219 |
| 1985 | 20 | #4,029 | 567 | #336 |
| 1980 | 9 | #6,985 | 242 | #548 |
| 1975 | — | — | 109 | #797 |
| 1970 | — | — | 113 | #777 |
| 1965 | — | — | 67 | #906 |
| 1960 | — | — | 71 | #901 |
| 1955 | — | — | 55 | #1,019 |
| 1950 | — | — | 49 | #994 |
| 1945 | — | — | 49 | #922 |
| 1940 | — | — | 36 | #1,100 |
| 1935 | — | — | 44 | #958 |
| 1930 | — | — | 40 | #1,099 |
| 1925 | — | — | 35 | #1,212 |
| 1920 | — | — | 69 | #808 |
| 1915 | — | — | 50 | #873 |
| 1910 | — | — | 16 | #768 |
| 1905 | — | — | 14 | #650 |
| 1900 | — | — | 12 | #761 |
| 1895 | — | — | 7 | #931 |
| 1890 | — | — | 8 | #782 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #621 |
| 1880 | — | — | 12 | #545 |
Famous people named Hunter
- Hunter S. Thompson Writer · 1937–2005
- Hunter Tylo Actor · b. 1962
- Hunter Biden Politician · b. 1970
- Hunter Parrish Actor · b. 1987
- Hunter Hayes Singer · b. 1991
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hunter mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Hunter in 2025?
Hunter ranked #130 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,761 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Hunter?
276,622 babies have been named Hunter in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hunter most popular?
Hunter peaked in 2000, when 13,252 newborns received the name.
Is Hunter a boy or girl name?
Hunter is used for both: about 5% of babies named Hunter have been girls and 95% boys.
Is the name Hunter rising or falling?
Hunter is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Hunter?
Well-known people named Hunter include Hunter S. Thompson (writer), Hunter Tylo (actor), Hunter Biden (politician).