Howard is a distinctive choice, ranked #1952 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Howard in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#1952
US Rank #942
About the Name Howard
Howard is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 124 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #427 in 1996 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Howard is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #942, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Howard
Unlikely. With around 12 UK babies named Howard per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Howard in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Howard is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 124 places over the last five years to #1952 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Howard is more popular in the US (#942) than in the UK (#1952). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Howard include: Sherman Howard — Sherman Howard is an American actor.; John Howard — John Winston Howard is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the...; Dwight Howard — Dwight David Howard II is an American former professional basketball player..
Howard does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Howards in the wild.
12
UK babies named Howard (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 124 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Howard
Likely around 1 other Howard in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2021–2021)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Howard
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
John Winston Howard is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the second-longest in Australian history, after that of Robert Menzies.
Catherine Howard was Queen of England from July 1540 until November 1541 as the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and Joyce Culpeper, a first cousin to Anne Boleyn (the second wife of Henry VIII), and the niece of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk.
Dwight David Howard II is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Superman" for his athletic prowess, he is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Jerome Howard, better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He was a member of The Three Stooges comedy team, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and Shemp Howard, as well as vaudevillian Larry Fine.