Seth
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Σήθ (Sḗth), from Biblical Hebrew שֵׁת (Šet, literally “chosen one, appointed, placed”).
Every Seth since 1880 — 166,288 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Seth
Seth is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #581 in 2025 with 505 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 166,288 American babies have been named Seth. Its peak came in 2000, when 6,725 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 Seth stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Seth 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 | — | — | 505 | #581 |
| 2024 | — | — | 535 | #555 |
| 2023 | — | — | 562 | #526 |
| 2022 | — | — | 651 | #473 |
| 2021 | — | — | 607 | #488 |
| 2020 | — | — | 688 | #432 |
| 2019 | — | — | 831 | #380 |
| 2018 | — | — | 860 | #375 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,066 | #320 |
| 2016 | — | — | 1,169 | #303 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,351 | #270 |
| 2014 | 5 | #18,799 | 1,506 | #250 |
| 2013 | 5 | #18,847 | 1,596 | #231 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,815 | #209 |
| 2011 | 5 | #19,107 | 2,094 | #184 |
| 2010 | — | — | 2,383 | #164 |
| 2009 | — | — | 2,945 | #139 |
| 2008 | 5 | #19,986 | 3,283 | #128 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12,498 | 3,768 | #115 |
| 2006 | 13 | #9,192 | 4,328 | #103 |
| 2005 | 7 | #14,248 | 4,713 | #91 |
| 2004 | 28 | #4,798 | 5,188 | #80 |
| 2003 | 8 | #12,212 | 5,256 | #80 |
| 2002 | 11 | #9,381 | 5,740 | #72 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,862 | 6,223 | #68 |
| 2000 | 8 | #11,602 | 6,717 | #63 |
| 1995 | 8 | #10,326 | 3,911 | #97 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,762 | 3,561 | #102 |
| 1985 | 19 | #4,253 | 2,821 | #104 |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,699 | 3,050 | #99 |
| 1975 | 12 | #5,099 | 1,866 | #136 |
| 1970 | — | — | 795 | #269 |
| 1965 | — | — | 323 | #431 |
| 1960 | — | — | 340 | #436 |
| 1955 | — | — | 215 | #505 |
| 1950 | — | — | 132 | #594 |
| 1945 | — | — | 77 | #698 |
| 1940 | — | — | 57 | #838 |
| 1935 | — | — | 56 | #842 |
| 1930 | — | — | 55 | #908 |
| 1925 | — | — | 96 | #653 |
| 1920 | — | — | 109 | #603 |
| 1915 | — | — | 80 | #651 |
| 1910 | — | — | 15 | #815 |
| 1905 | — | — | 17 | #589 |
| 1900 | — | — | 27 | #442 |
| 1895 | — | — | 18 | #488 |
| 1890 | — | — | 15 | #507 |
| 1885 | — | — | 34 | #289 |
| 1880 | — | — | 25 | #349 |
Famous people named Seth
- Seth Barnes Nicholson Astronomer · 1891–1963
- Seth MacFarlane Actor · b. 1973
- Seth Carlo Chandler Astronomer · 1846–1913
- Seth Meribre Politician · -1750–-1700
- Seth Rogen Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Seth mean?
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Σήθ (Sḗth), from Biblical Hebrew שֵׁת (Šet, literally “chosen one, appointed, placed”).
How popular is the name Seth in 2025?
Seth ranked #581 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 505 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Seth?
166,288 babies have been named Seth in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Seth most popular?
Seth peaked in 2000, when 6,725 newborns received the name.
Is Seth a boy or girl name?
Seth is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Seth rising or falling?
Seth is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Seth?
Well-known people named Seth include Seth Barnes Nicholson (astronomer), Seth MacFarlane (actor), Seth Carlo Chandler (astronomer).