Frequently asked questions
Where the numbers come from, how far to trust them, and what happens to your searches. The detailed math is on the methodology page.
How many people in the U.S. have my exact name?
Use the lookup on the home page. We combine the estimated number of living people with your first name with your last name's share of the Census population, then scale to today's population. The full formula, with a worked example, is on the methodology page.
Are the last-name counts exact?
Yes, for 2010. They come straight from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 surname file (for example, Smith had exactly 2,442,977 people, rank #1). For today's estimate we scale by official population growth, and we always show the original 2010 figure too.
How accurate are the first-name estimates?
SSA records count births, not living people, so we weight each decade of births by how much of that generation is still alive. For common names the estimate is usually within a few percent. Rare names carry wider margins.
Why can't you find my name?
The SSA leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies in a year, and the Census only publishes last names held by 100 or more people. A missing name is usually very rare, very new or spelled differently in the records. Try another spelling, such as Jon instead of John.
Why do other 'how many of me' sites show different numbers?
Different data and different math. Many tools still use the 2000 Census surname file or raw birth totals with no survival adjustment, which overstates older names. We use SSA records through 2025, the 2010 Census surname file, survival-adjusted first names and the 341,784,857 population estimate, and we publish our formulas.
Do you store the names I search?
No. Your browser downloads a small public data file and does the math locally, so the name you type never reaches our server. The recent-lookups list is stored only in your own browser.
Are names split into male and female?
The SSA keeps separate records for boys and girls. Results show the combined total, the boy/girl split, the rank on each list and separate trend lines. Last names apply to everyone.
How often is the data updated?
The SSA publishes new baby-name data every spring; the site currently covers 1880–2025. Last-name data changes when the Census Bureau publishes a new surname file, and population scaling follows its yearly estimates.
Does this work for countries other than the U.S.?
No. The figures describe the U.S. population, because they come from U.S. government datasets.
Can I use these numbers in an article or research?
Yes. Please cite "How Many of Me, based on SSA national baby-name records and the U.S. Census Bureau 2010 surname file" and link to the methodology page.
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