Thelonious
Every Thelonious since 1960 — 467 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Thelonious
Thelonious is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,144 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1960, 467 American babies have been named Thelonious. Its peak came in 2017, when 23 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Thelonious stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Thelonious year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #7,144 |
| 2024 | 16 | #5,871 |
| 2023 | 12 | #7,255 |
| 2022 | 17 | #5,609 |
| 2021 | 23 | #4,481 |
| 2020 | 16 | #5,672 |
| 2019 | 14 | #6,374 |
| 2018 | 20 | #4,903 |
| 2017 | 23 | #4,448 |
| 2016 | 20 | #4,923 |
| 2015 | 21 | #4,687 |
| 2014 | 16 | #5,694 |
| 2013 | 17 | #5,376 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5,962 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8,686 |
| 2010 | 15 | #6,004 |
| 2009 | 17 | #5,528 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10,921 |
| 2007 | 7 | #10,786 |
| 2006 | 8 | #9,488 |
| 2005 | 6 | #11,326 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9,833 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6,676 |
| 2002 | 8 | #8,369 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6,403 |
| 2000 | 8 | #8,131 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 5 | #9,364 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | 5 | #6,253 |
| 1970 | 5 | #5,372 |
| 1965 | 10 | #2,767 |
| 1960 | 5 | #4,550 |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Thelonious
- Thelonious Monk Musician · 1917–1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Thelonious in 2025?
Thelonious ranked #7,144 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Thelonious?
467 babies have been named Thelonious in the United States since 1960, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Thelonious most popular?
Thelonious peaked in 2017, when 23 newborns received the name.
Is Thelonious a boy or girl name?
Thelonious is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Thelonious rising or falling?
Thelonious is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Thelonious?
Well-known people named Thelonious include Thelonious Monk (musician).