Special Report

How Many People Were Born the Year You Were Born

John Harrington

Published: April 10, 2019 10:16 pm

Last Updated: January 11, 2020 9:20 am

The United States has the world’s third-largest population, behind China and India, with about 328.7 million people as of April 9, 2019.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the country, a person is born every 8 seconds, one death occurs every 11 seconds, and an immigrant arrives every 33 seconds — and later most likely moves to one of these states. It adds up to a net gain of one person in the United States every 17 seconds.

Yet even in a time of economic growth and little military conflict overseas, America’s population growth is nearly stagnant. Census estimates from a report in December say America’s population grew by just 0.6% for the period between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018. The U.S. fertility rate slid to its lowest level ever in 2017 — the most current year for which data are available — with 60.2 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Even so, America’s population continues to rise because of immigration and longer life expectancy. People are spreading west and south, making these states the fastest-growing in the country. The southern part of the nation is now the most populous region of the United States.

After sluggish birth rates during the Great Depression, the United States topped more than 3 million births in one year for the first time in 1946, which demographers consider to be the start of the Baby Boom that lasted until 1964. From 1954 to 1964, America exceeded more than 4 million births annually during a period of extended prosperity and peace. The United States would not top 4 million births per year again until 1989, as the Cold War was ending.

Click here to see how many people were born the year you were born.

To determine how many people were born the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the number of births and the birth rate per 1,000 people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vital Statistics of the United States report series. Population figures were from the U.S. Census Bureau. The most popular names for each year came from the Social Security Administration.

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,081,232
> Population: 125,578,763
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.6
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad]

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,167,636
> Population: 126,373,773
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.2
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: blokes 2012 / Flickr

> Births: 2,155,105
> Population: 127,250,232
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.9
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,144,790
> Population: 128,053,180
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.7
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: State Library of New South Wales / Flickr

> Births: 2,203,337
> Population: 128,824,829
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.1
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,286,962
> Population: 129,824,939
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.6
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,265,588
> Population: 130,879,718
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.3
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,360,399
> Population: 132,122,446
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.9
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad]

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library (NLFDR) / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,513,427
> Population: 133,402,471
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 18.8
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Australian War Memorial collection / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,808,996
> Population: 134,859,553
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 20.8
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: pingnews.com / Flickr

> Births: 2,934,860
> Population: 136,739,353
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 21.5
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,794,800
> Population: 138,397,345
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 20.2
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 2,735,456
> Population: 139,928,165
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 19.5
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,288,672
> Population: 141,388,566
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 23.3
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,699,940
> Population: 144,126,071
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 25.8
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,535,068
> Population: 146,631,302
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.2
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

Source: The U.S. National Archives / Flickr

> Births: 3,559,529
> Population: 149,188,130
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 23.9
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

Source: TaliaMcGeorgePhotography / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,554,149
> Population: 152,271,417
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 23.6
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

[in-text-ad]

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,750,850
> Population: 154,877,889
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.5
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,846,986
> Population: 157,552,740
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.7
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,902,120
> Population: 160,184,192
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.7
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary

24/7 Wall St.
The Fastest Growing and Shrinking States

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,017,362
> Population: 163,025,854
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,047,295
> Population: 165,931,202
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,163,090
> Population: 168,903,031
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,254,784
> Population: 171,984,130
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 25.0
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,203,812
> Population: 174,881,904
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.3
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: The Sporting News Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,244,796
> Population: 177,829,628
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 24.0
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Alden Jewell / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,257,850
> Population: 180,671,158
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 23.7
> Most popular boy name: David
> Most popular girl name: Mary

[in-text-ad]

Source: The U.S. National Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,268,326
> Population: 183,691,481
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 23.3
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,167,362
> Population: 186,537,737
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 22.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: Executive Office of the President of the United States / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,098,020
> Population: 189,241,798
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 21.7
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

24/7 Wall St.
States With the Largest Immigrant Populations

Source: Harry Pot, / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,027,490
> Population: 191,888,791
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 21.1
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: Mennonite Church USA Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,760,358
> Population: 194,302,963
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 19.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: Gizurr / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,606,274
> Population: 196,560,338
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 18.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: JOHN LLOYD / Flickr

> Births: 3,520,959
> Population: 198,712,056
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: Ollie Atkins, White House photographer / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,501,564
> Population: 200,706,052
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,600,206
> Population: 202,676,946
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,731,386
> Population: 205,052,174
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 18.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

[in-text-ad]

Source: Leena A. Krohn / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,555,970
> Population: 207,660,677
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 17.2
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,258,411
> Population: 209,896,021
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: sterferg / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,136,965
> Population: 211,908,788
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

24/7 Wall St.
Fastest Growing Local Economy in Every State

Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,159,958
> Population: 213,853,928
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,144,198
> Population: 215,973,199
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: White House Photograph Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,167,788
> Population: 218,035,164
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Derzsi Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,326,632
> Population: 220,239,425
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Steve Morgan / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,333,279
> Population: 222,584,545
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.3
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Report / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,494,398
> Population: 225,055,487
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,612,258
> Population: 227,224,681
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

[in-text-ad]

Source: White House Photographic Office / The National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,629,238
> Population: 229,465,714
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,680,537
> Population: 231,664,458
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.9
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,638,933
> Population: 233,791,994
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Marcin Wichary / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,669,141
> Population: 235,824,902
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer

Source: Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,760,561
> Population: 237,923,795
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: A1C Nancy Smelser / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,756,547
> Population: 240,132,887
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Virginia Tehan / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,809,394
> Population: 242,288,918
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.7
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: National Park Service / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,909,510
> Population: 244,498,982
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.0
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,040,958
> Population: 246,819,230
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: Andrew Thomas / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,158,212
> Population: 249,464,396
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.7
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley

[in-text-ad]

Source: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,110,907
> Population: 252,153,092
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 16.2
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley

Source: Gary B. Edstrom / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,065,014
> Population: 255,029,699
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.8
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley

Source: Official White House photograph / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,000,240
> Population: 257,782,608
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: Andrea Booher / FEMA / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,952,767
> Population: 260,327,021
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 15.0
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,899,589
> Population: 262,803,276
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.6
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,891,494
> Population: 265,228,572
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.4
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Kees de Vos / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,880,894
> Population: 267,783,607
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.2
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Flickr user Kevin Jarrett / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,941,553
> Population: 270,248,003
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.3
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Grj23 / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,959,417
> Population: 272,690,813
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.2
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Rob Boudon / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,058,814
> Population: 282,162,411
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.4
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

[in-text-ad]

Source: SFC Thomas R. Roberts / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,025,933
> Population: 284,968,955
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.1
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Sergeant Joseph R. Chenelly, United States Marine Corps / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,021,726
> Population: 287,625,193
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 13.9
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: National Archive Catalog / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,089,950
> Population: 290,107,933
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.1
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

24/7 Wall St.
The Price of Beer the Year You Were Born

Source: Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison Jr., U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,112,052
> Population: 292,805,298
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.0
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Jocelyn Augustino / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,138,349
> Population: 295,516,599
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.0
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: Kjetil Ree / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,265,555
> Population: 298,379,912
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.3
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: Ben Stanfield / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,316,233
> Population: 301,231,207
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.3
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily

Source: CODEPINK Women For Peace / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,247,694
> Population: 304,093,966
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 14.0
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emma

Source: Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 4,130,665
> Population: 306,771,529
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 13.5
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Isabella

Source: U.S. Coast Guard / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,999,386
> Population: 309,346,863
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.9
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Isabella

[in-text-ad]

Source: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,953,590
> Population: 311,718,857
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.7
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Sophia

Source: New Jersey National Guard / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,952,841
> Population: 314,102,623
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.6
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Sophia

Source: White House / Sonya Hebert / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,932,181
> Population: 316,427,395
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.4
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Sophia

[in-text-ad-2]

Source: TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,988,076
> Population: 318,907,401
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.5
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma

Source: Difference engine / Wikimedia Commons

> Births: 3,978,497
> Population: 321,418,820
> Birth rate (per 1,000): 12.4
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma

Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images

2016
> Births: 3,945,875
> Population: 323,071,342
> Birth rate (per 1,000) 12.2
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma

Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images

2017
> Births: 3,855,500
> Population: 325,147,121
> Birth rate (per 1,000) 11.7
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Emma