At a glance
- In short
- Urban, rooted in the Latin word for “city dweller” (urbanus), blends centuries of gravitas with fresh, cosmopolitan energy.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #5,208 of boy names (outside the top 1,000)
- Babies in 2025
- 18 (<0.01% of boys)
- Trend
- Slipping #4,141 in 2020 to #5,208 in 2025
- Peak
- #419 in 1894
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Urban
Urban, rooted in the Latin word for “city dweller” (urbanus), blends centuries of gravitas with fresh, cosmopolitan energy. Pronounced UR-buhn, it feels as natural as a downtown stroll and as refined as a café au lait. Though it hovers just outside the top 900—landing at No. 908 in 2024—Urban’s steady climb shows it’s on the move, offering parents the best of both worlds: a classic pedigree (hello, seven popes!) and an effortlessly modern vibe. It’s the kind of name that sparks images of sunlit boulevards and friendly chatter at neighborhood bistros, all without feeling pretentious. For families chasing a standout yet timeless choice, Urban might be the perfect city-sized statement.
How to pronounce Urban
English
- Pronounced UR-buhn /ˈɜr.bən/
Popularity of Urban in the U.S.
Urban was the #5,208 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 18 babies. It peaked at #419 in 1894.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 130 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | 5,208 | ▲ 451 |
| 2024 | 16 | 5,659 | ▲ 2,079 |
| 2023 | 10 | 7,738 | ▼ 3,435 |
| 2022 | 24 | 4,303 | ▼ 652 |
| 2021 | 30 | 3,651 | ▲ 490 |
| 2020 | 24 | 4,141 | ▼ 1,089 |
| 2019 | 39 | 3,052 | ▲ 839 |
| 2018 | 27 | 3,891 | ▼ 305 |
| 2017 | 30 | 3,586 | ▼ 356 |
| 2016 | 35 | 3,230 | ▼ 81 |
| 2015 | 36 | 3,149 | ▲ 989 |
| 2014 | 24 | 4,138 | ▲ 175 |
| 2013 | 22 | 4,313 | ▼ 1,082 |
| 2012 | 34 | 3,231 | ▲ 4 |
| 2011 | 34 | 3,235 | ▲ 296 |
| 2010 | 30 | 3,531 | ▲ 629 |
| 2009 | 24 | 4,160 | ▲ 380 |
| 2008 | 21 | 4,540 | ▲ 100 |
| 2007 | 20 | 4,640 | ▲ 2,264 |
| 2006 | 11 | 6,904 | ▲ 736 |
| 2005 | 9 | 7,640 | ▲ 2,308 |
| 2004 | 6 | 9,948 | ▲ 946 |
| 2003 | 5 | 10,894 | back (not recorded in 2002) |
| 2001 | 6 | 9,243 | ▼ 131 |
| 2000 | 6 | 9,112 | back (not recorded in 1999) |
| 1998 | 5 | 9,631 | back (not recorded in 1997) |
| 1996 | 7 | 7,136 | back (not recorded in 1995) |
| 1994 | 8 | 6,372 | ▲ 444 |
| 1993 | 7 | 6,816 | back (not recorded in 1992) |
| 1991 | 6 | 7,271 | ▼ 93 |
| 1990 | 6 | 7,178 | back (not recorded in 1989) |
| 1988 | 10 | 4,450 | ▲ 1,639 |
| 1987 | 6 | 6,089 | ▼ 1,632 |
| 1986 | 9 | 4,457 | ▲ 2,066 |
| 1985 | 5 | 6,523 | back (not recorded in 1983–1984) |
| 1982 | 6 | 5,620 | ▲ 642 |
| 1981 | 5 | 6,262 | ▼ 2,128 |
| 1980 | 9 | 4,134 | ▲ 1,221 |
| 1979 | 6 | 5,355 | back (not recorded in 1977–1978) |
| 1976 | 6 | 4,935 | back (not recorded in 1974–1975) |
| 1973 | 5 | 5,101 | back (not recorded in 1972) |
| 1971 | 9 | 3,370 | ▼ 631 |
| 1970 | 12 | 2,739 | ▲ 1,196 |
| 1969 | 6 | 3,935 | ▼ 1,028 |
| 1968 | 9 | 2,907 | back (not recorded in 1967) |
| 1966 | 11 | 2,465 | ▲ 1,465 |
| 1965 | 5 | 3,930 | ▼ 1,955 |
| 1964 | 17 | 1,975 | ▼ 136 |
| 1963 | 19 | 1,839 | ▲ 834 |
| 1962 | 10 | 2,673 | ▼ 1,038 |
| 1961 | 24 | 1,635 | ▲ 93 |
| 1960 | 22 | 1,728 | ▲ 31 |
| 1959 | 21 | 1,759 | ▼ 202 |
| 1958 | 25 | 1,557 | ▲ 234 |
| 1957 | 20 | 1,791 | ▲ 472 |
| 1956 | 13 | 2,263 | ▼ 760 |
| 1955 | 26 | 1,503 | ▲ 946 |
| 1954 | 11 | 2,449 | ▼ 613 |
| 1953 | 18 | 1,836 | ▲ 103 |
| 1952 | 16 | 1,939 | ▼ 566 |
| 1951 | 29 | 1,373 | ▲ 738 |
| 1950 | 13 | 2,111 | ▼ 444 |
| 1949 | 20 | 1,667 | ▼ 267 |
| 1948 | 27 | 1,400 | ▲ 49 |
| 1947 | 26 | 1,449 | ▲ 193 |
| 1946 | 19 | 1,642 | ▼ 148 |
| 1945 | 20 | 1,494 | ▲ 244 |
| 1944 | 16 | 1,738 | ▼ 430 |
| 1943 | 28 | 1,308 | ▲ 26 |
| 1942 | 27 | 1,334 | ▼ 205 |
| 1941 | 34 | 1,129 | ▲ 268 |
| 1940 | 23 | 1,397 | ▼ 277 |
| 1939 | 33 | 1,120 | ▲ 127 |
| 1938 | 28 | 1,247 | ▼ 35 |
| 1937 | 30 | 1,212 | ▼ 30 |
| 1936 | 31 | 1,182 | ▼ 171 |
| 1935 | 40 | 1,011 | ▲ 122 |
| 1934 | 34 | 1,133 | ▼ 105 |
| 1933 | 39 | 1,028 | ▲ 62 |
| 1932 | 38 | 1,090 | ▼ 282 |
| 1931 | 60 | 808 | ▲ 120 |
| 1930 | 52 | 928 | ▼ 40 |
| 1929 | 56 | 888 | ▼ 92 |
| 1928 | 67 | 796 | ▲ 70 |
| 1927 | 61 | 866 | ▲ 50 |
| 1926 | 54 | 916 | ▼ 234 |
| 1925 | 88 | 682 | ▼ 56 |
| 1924 | 104 | 626 | ▲ 12 |
| 1923 | 101 | 638 | ▲ 142 |
| 1922 | 73 | 780 | ▼ 103 |
| 1921 | 91 | 677 | ▲ 3 |
| 1920 | 88 | 680 | ▼ 35 |
| 1919 | 90 | 645 | ▲ 19 |
| 1918 | 87 | 664 | ▼ 35 |
| 1917 | 89 | 629 | ▼ 23 |
| 1916 | 92 | 606 | ▲ 119 |
| 1915 | 67 | 725 | ▼ 93 |
| 1914 | 64 | 632 | ▲ 49 |
| 1913 | 44 | 681 | – |
| 1912 | 39 | 681 | ▲ 244 |
| 1911 | 13 | 925 | ▼ 66 |
| 1910 | 13 | 859 | ▼ 180 |
| 1909 | 16 | 679 | ▲ 146 |
| 1908 | 11 | 825 | ▲ 269 |
| 1907 | 7 | 1,094 | ▲ 17 |
| 1906 | 6 | 1,111 | ▲ 122 |
| 1905 | 5 | 1,233 | ▼ 621 |
| 1904 | 14 | 612 | ▲ 122 |
| 1903 | 10 | 734 | ▼ 119 |
| 1902 | 13 | 615 | ▲ 22 |
| 1901 | 11 | 637 | ▲ 199 |
| 1900 | 10 | 836 | ▼ 253 |
| 1899 | 12 | 583 | ▲ 52 |
| 1898 | 12 | 635 | ▼ 162 |
| 1897 | 17 | 473 | ▲ 305 |
| 1896 | 9 | 778 | ▲ 94 |
| 1895 | 7 | 872 | ▼ 453 |
| 1894 | 20 | 419 | ▲ 153 |
| 1893 | 12 | 572 | ▲ 384 |
| 1892 | 6 | 956 | back (not recorded in 1891) |
| 1890 | 7 | 814 | ▼ 186 |
| 1889 | 10 | 628 | ▲ 20 |
| 1888 | 10 | 648 | ▲ 171 |
| 1887 | 6 | 819 | ▼ 241 |
| 1886 | 11 | 578 | back (not recorded in 1885) |
| 1884 | 6 | 848 | ▼ 128 |
| 1883 | 7 | 720 | ▲ 223 |
| 1882 | 5 | 943 | ▼ 77 |
| 1881 | 5 | 866 | ▼ 266 |
| 1880 | 10 | 600 | – |
Notable people named Urban
- Urban Meyer is an American sportscaster and former football coach known for leading the Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes.