How Many People Are Named River?
An estimated 54,312 people in the United States have the first name River. It is used for both genders, with 66.7% male. The average bearer is 9 years old, and River peaked in popularity in 2022 with 5,421 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of River as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, and state-by-state birth registrations. You can also check how many people share the full name River paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- River is a modern name. With an average bearer age of just 9, it has gained most of its popularity in recent years.
Estimated Living Americans
54,312
About 1 in 6,311 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Uncommon
Predicted Gender
Male
66.7% confidence
Average Age
9
years old
Peak Year
2022
5,421 births
Total Registered
54,754
since 1880
Gender Distribution for River
River is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (66.7%) and females (33.3%). Out of 54,754 total births registered, 36,498 were male and 18,256 were female.
River as a male name
Ranked #112 in 2024
3,138 male births in 2024
Peak: 2021 (3,503 births)
River as a female name
Ranked #214 in 2024
1,434 female births in 2024
Peak: 2022 (1,927 births)
River: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for River span from the 1970s to the 2020s, covering 6 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 2020s, when 24,451 babies were registered. River remains highly popular today, with recent registration numbers near its historical peak.
River by Decade
How has River tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
River by State
Birth registrations for River span all 51 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in California, Texas, Florida. The lowest are in District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Vermont. On average, about 1,028 Rivers were registered per state.
River + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with River as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to River
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
River: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named River?
We estimate approximately 54,312 people named River are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 6,311 Americans share this first name.
Is River a common name?
River is classified as "Uncommon" and is more popular than 99.2% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 54,754 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was River most popular?
River reached peak popularity in 2022, when 5,421 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named River is approximately 9 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
Is River a male name?
River is predominantly male. 66.7% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
How many River Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: River Smith, River Johnson, River Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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