Howard

Did you know?

A few things about Howard you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Howard

Howard Hughes

American aviator, engineer, industrialist, and film producer (1905–1976)

Choose Howard and your child shares a first name with Howard Hughes, an American aviator, engineer, industrialist, and film producer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Howard, like who?” Howard Hughes's Wikipedia article is available in 76 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Howard Hughes on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Acme Newspictures, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 7,559 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Howard, 226 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Howard would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryHoward has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Howards, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1920, when it ranked #24. Today it's #1,002, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🚀TrendHoward has climbed 42 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,002. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedHoward is most popular in Wisconsin, where it ranks #484, followed by Minnesota (#511) and Iowa (#571). It's in the top 1,000 in 15 states.

About the name Howard

Howard is a boy name of English origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-ard”. US birth records list Howard for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1920, when it ranked #24 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,002, with 226 babies.

Origin:English names