Rankin
A masculine name of Scottish origin possibly derived from "ram's meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 149 living Americans carry the first name Rankin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rankin today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rankin births was 1916 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rankin. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
149
~ 1 in 2,300,365 Americans
Peak year
1916
12 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,155
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Rankin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rankin from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 66 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Rankin remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rankin by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rankin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rankin
The name Rankin is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "ran," meaning a boundary or border. It was initially used as a surname for those who lived near a boundary or border area.
In the Middle Ages, the name Rankin was commonly found in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions bordering England. It was often used to identify individuals who resided along the Scottish-English border, where conflicts and skirmishes were frequent.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rankin dates back to the 13th century, when a Scottish nobleman named Rankin de Dundemor was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, a historical record of Scottish landowners who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England in 1296.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rankin. One of the most famous was David Rankin (1592-1657), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and scholar who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.
Another noteworthy figure was John Rankin (1793-1886), an American Presbyterian minister and abolitionist who established the Underground Railroad station in Ohio, aiding escaped slaves on their journey to freedom.
In the realm of literature, Ian Rankin (born 1960) is a renowned Scottish crime writer best known for his Inspector Rebus novels, which have garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards.
The name Rankin has also been associated with the arts, with prominent individuals such as John Rankin Waddell (1888-1949), a Scottish artist and engraver, and Rankin (born 1966), a British portrait and fashion photographer known for his distinctive style.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Rankin as a first name can be traced back to the 16th century, when a Scottish clergyman named Rankin Douglas (1569-1638) served as the Bishop of Brechin and later as the Bishop of Dunkeld.
While the name Rankin has its roots in Scotland, it has gained popularity and usage across various cultures and regions, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.
People
Rankin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rankin as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rankin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rankin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 149 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rankin going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,300,365 US residents.
Is Rankin a common name?
We classify Rankin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 340 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rankin most popular?
The single biggest year for Rankin was 1916, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rankin is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rankin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rankin in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.