Girl & boy name
River
As of 2025, River ranks #111 among American boys' names, according to Social Security records. 3,139 boys received the name that year. It has climbed from #129 to #111 over the past five years. SSA records for River go back to 1971; the peak came in 2022 at #105, with 3,500 babies named that year. Geographically, it's strongest in Arkansas, where it ranks #42 among boy names.
Rankings
River popularity, 1880–2025
Where River is most popular
Uniqueness score
A familiar pick that most people will recognize instantly. Based on how many babies per birth were named River in the most recent year of SSA data.
River as a girl name
River is currently the #219 girl name in the United States, based on 2025 Social Security data. In raw numbers: 1,401 babies. It has drifted down the charts over the past five years, from #184 to #219. Looking at the full record since 1988, River hit its all-time high of #149 in 2021, when 1,886 girls were given the name. State by state, Wyoming leads the way at #58.