Prudence
A female given name from English, one of the Puritan virtue names.
Every Prudence since 1880 — 6,256 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Prudence
Prudence is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,113 in 2025 with 89 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 6,256 American babies have been named Prudence. Its peak came in 1943, when 140 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Prudence stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Prudence year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 89 | #2,113 |
| 2024 | 68 | #2,602 |
| 2023 | 79 | #2,331 |
| 2022 | 99 | #1,986 |
| 2021 | 71 | #2,504 |
| 2020 | 84 | #2,167 |
| 2019 | 109 | #1,858 |
| 2018 | 96 | #2,044 |
| 2017 | 96 | #2,051 |
| 2016 | 81 | #2,341 |
| 2015 | 69 | #2,613 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2,836 |
| 2013 | 78 | #2,361 |
| 2012 | 53 | #3,159 |
| 2011 | 82 | #2,292 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2,894 |
| 2009 | 55 | #3,120 |
| 2008 | 36 | #4,335 |
| 2007 | 30 | #4,914 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4,659 |
| 2005 | 24 | #5,395 |
| 2004 | 22 | #5,706 |
| 2003 | 17 | #6,820 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,358 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,924 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,709 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,398 |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,907 |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,943 |
| 1980 | 14 | #5,158 |
| 1975 | 48 | #1,895 |
| 1970 | 64 | #1,540 |
| 1965 | 36 | #1,944 |
| 1960 | 38 | #1,849 |
| 1955 | 48 | #1,476 |
| 1950 | 64 | #1,160 |
| 1945 | 96 | #766 |
| 1940 | 65 | #892 |
| 1935 | 56 | #933 |
| 1930 | 58 | #969 |
| 1925 | 84 | #815 |
| 1920 | 74 | #844 |
| 1915 | 42 | #1,037 |
| 1910 | 18 | #1,057 |
| 1905 | 17 | #918 |
| 1900 | 28 | #685 |
| 1895 | 14 | #887 |
| 1890 | 19 | #614 |
| 1885 | 14 | #604 |
| 1880 | 17 | #415 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Prudence mean?
A female given name from English, one of the Puritan virtue names.
How popular is the name Prudence in 2025?
Prudence ranked #2,113 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 89 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Prudence?
6,256 babies have been named Prudence in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Prudence most popular?
Prudence peaked in 1943, when 140 newborns received the name.
Is Prudence a boy or girl name?
Prudence is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Prudence rising or falling?
Prudence is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.