Is River a boy or girl name?
River is used for both, more often for boys in the US. In 2024, 1,434 girls and 3,138 boys were named River, so 31.4% were girls. Across 1880–2024, 33.3% of the 54,754 US babies named River were girls.
- Boy rank, 2024
- #112
- Girl rank, 2024
- #214
- Babies named River since 1971
- 54,754
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 5,421 babies
Boys and girls named River, by decade
| Decade | Boys | Girls | Share girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26 | 0 | 0% |
| 1980s | 83 | 5 | 5.7% |
| 1990s | 2,023 | 267 | 11.7% |
| 2000s | 4,449 | 1,394 | 23.9% |
| 2010s | 13,857 | 8,199 | 37.2% |
| 2020s | 16,060 | 8,391 | 34.3% |
Every year
| Year | Boys | Boy rank | Girls | Girl rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,138 | #112 | 1,434 | #214 |
| 2023 | 3,111 | #116 | 1,584 | #193 |
| 2022 | 3,494 | #105 | 1,927 | #150 |
| 2021 | 3,503 | #110 | 1,885 | #149 |
| 2020 | 2,814 | #129 | 1,561 | #184 |
| 2019 | 2,371 | #168 | 1,441 | #211 |
| 2018 | 2,075 | #197 | 1,333 | #244 |
| 2017 | 1,969 | #200 | 1,181 | #270 |
| 2016 | 1,852 | #212 | 1,131 | #286 |
| 2015 | 1,516 | #244 | 950 | #348 |
| 2014 | 1,243 | #287 | 708 | #453 |
| 2013 | 830 | #371 | 488 | #586 |
| 2012 | 722 | #405 | 412 | #683 |
| 2011 | 645 | #424 | 293 | #892 |
| 2010 | 634 | #434 | 262 | #975 |
| 2009 | 619 | #449 | 281 | #951 |
| 2008 | 611 | #454 | 249 | #1,051 |
| 2007 | 464 | #554 | 229 | #1,130 |
| 2006 | 505 | #514 | 181 | #1,298 |
| 2005 | 476 | #517 | 92 | #2,051 |
| 2004 | 420 | #549 | 100 | #1,890 |
| 2003 | 388 | #571 | 72 | #2,341 |
| 2002 | 329 | #611 | 67 | #2,405 |
| 2001 | 323 | #608 | 72 | #2,254 |
| 2000 | 314 | #612 | 51 | #2,849 |
| 1999 | 359 | #559 | 55 | #2,600 |
| 1998 | 435 | #496 | 53 | #2,605 |
| 1997 | 389 | #519 | 45 | #2,764 |
| 1996 | 269 | #632 | 36 | #3,287 |
| 1995 | 278 | #619 | 25 | #4,189 |
| 1994 | 141 | #927 | 12 | #7,493 |
| 1993 | 54 | #1,658 | 12 | #7,363 |
| 1992 | 37 | #2,121 | 7 | #11,417 |
| 1991 | 28 | #2,529 | 12 | #7,306 |
| 1990 | 33 | #2,205 | 10 | #8,359 |
| 1989 | 40 | #1,887 | 0 | – |
| 1988 | 13 | #3,863 | 5 | #13,383 |
| 1987 | 13 | #3,685 | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 5 | #7,589 | 0 | – |
| 1985 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1984 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1983 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 6 | #6,237 | 0 | – |
| 1981 | 6 | #6,091 | 0 | – |
| 1980 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1978 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1975 | 7 | #4,681 | 0 | – |
| 1974 | 5 | #5,836 | 0 | – |
| 1973 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 8 | #3,892 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 6 | #4,806 | 0 | – |
Highest rank
As a boy name, River reached #105 in 2022. As a girl name, it reached #149 in 2021. Ranks count every name SSA published for that year and sex, so they go well past the top 1,000.
Names from the same era
These names were also most popular in the 2020s, with a similar number of babies. They can work as sibling or middle names that feel like they belong together.
Names spelled like River
Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2024. Counts are Social Security card applications for US births; SSA leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies in a year. Updated 2026-10-05. How these numbers are made.