Ted
Shortened form of Edward, Theodore, Thaddeus or Edmund.
Every Ted since 1880 — 75,424 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ted
Ted is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,229 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 75,424 American babies have been named Ted. Its peak came in 1958, when 1,748 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 Ted stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ted 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 | — | — | 37 | #3,229 |
| 2024 | — | — | 44 | #2,906 |
| 2023 | — | — | 43 | #2,943 |
| 2022 | — | — | 41 | #3,048 |
| 2021 | — | — | 38 | #3,172 |
| 2020 | — | — | 35 | #3,261 |
| 2019 | — | — | 55 | #2,461 |
| 2018 | — | — | 49 | #2,613 |
| 2017 | — | — | 56 | #2,340 |
| 2016 | — | — | 56 | #2,363 |
| 2015 | — | — | 48 | #2,598 |
| 2014 | — | — | 59 | #2,272 |
| 2013 | — | — | 73 | #1,930 |
| 2012 | — | — | 67 | #2,064 |
| 2011 | — | — | 66 | #2,052 |
| 2010 | — | — | 81 | #1,814 |
| 2009 | — | — | 53 | #2,445 |
| 2008 | — | — | 75 | #1,930 |
| 2007 | — | — | 61 | #2,208 |
| 2006 | — | — | 59 | #2,204 |
| 2005 | — | — | 75 | #1,769 |
| 2004 | — | — | 72 | #1,760 |
| 2003 | — | — | 74 | #1,684 |
| 2002 | — | — | 99 | #1,343 |
| 2001 | — | — | 99 | #1,325 |
| 2000 | — | — | 97 | #1,333 |
| 1995 | — | — | 150 | #895 |
| 1990 | — | — | 249 | #644 |
| 1985 | — | — | 267 | #532 |
| 1980 | 6 | #10,269 | 364 | #430 |
| 1975 | — | — | 455 | #364 |
| 1970 | — | — | 944 | #246 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,243 | #201 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,695 | #184 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,409 | #188 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,355 | #170 |
| 1945 | — | — | 1,238 | #155 |
| 1940 | — | — | 1,047 | #159 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,155 | 1,085 | #144 |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,506 | 983 | #156 |
| 1925 | — | — | 670 | #209 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,342 | 545 | #231 |
| 1915 | — | — | 403 | #241 |
| 1910 | — | — | 127 | #204 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,200 | 115 | #170 |
| 1900 | — | — | 75 | #234 |
| 1895 | — | — | 24 | #398 |
| 1890 | — | — | 20 | #414 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #635 |
| 1880 | — | — | 13 | #521 |
Famous people named Ted
- Ted Bundy Extremist · 1946–1989
- Ted Kaczynski Extremist · b. 1942
- Ted Kennedy Politician · 1932–2009
- Ted Turner Businessperson · b. 1938
- Ted Hughes Writer · 1930–1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ted mean?
Shortened form of Edward, Theodore, Thaddeus or Edmund.
How popular is the name Ted in 2025?
Ted ranked #3,229 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ted?
75,424 babies have been named Ted in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ted most popular?
Ted peaked in 1958, when 1,748 newborns received the name.
Is Ted a boy or girl name?
Ted is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ted rising or falling?
Ted is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ted?
Well-known people named Ted include Ted Bundy (extremist), Ted Kaczynski (extremist), Ted Kennedy (politician).