At the forefront of issues that face humanity, many would rank climate change and overpopulation as perhaps some of the biggest existential threats. However, there are some, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who would disagree Earth cannot sustain population growth and point to population implosion as the largest threat facing humanity. Recent birth rates seem to reinforce this idea.
According to this argument, if countries with inverted population pyramids, like Japan or most of Europe, were to continue on this course over a long period of time they would vanish entirely. Population pyramids are a representation of the population by sex and age, with younger age and the bottom and older at the top, and the sexes on each side. Turning the focus to the United States, recent years suggest that there could be an inversion taking place. (Here are countries on track to shrink the most this century.)
24/7 Wall St. took a closer look at population changes throughout America’s modern history. Specifically, we reviewed the number of people born every year since 1933 using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics System. We also calculated the birth rate for each year using population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Data on the most popular baby names comes from the Social Security Administration.
Over the last three years, the birth rate has fallen to roughly 11 births per 1,000 people. The recent birth rates are less than half the birth rate in 1947 of nearly 26 births per 1,000 Americans — the highest rate of the years examined.
Some are suggesting that the recent COVID-19 pandemic was a contributing factor to the decline over the past few years. Even though this may be true, there has been a definitive trend lower for a long time now. The pandemic may have just further lowered the birth rate in the near term. Whether or not there will be a bounce back remains to be seen. (This is the state that will grow the most in the next 20 years.)
Here is a look at how many people were born the year you were born.
Source: FPG / Getty Images
1933
> Births: 2,081,232
> Total population: 125,578,763
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: FPG / Getty Images
1934
> Births: 2,167,636
> Total population: 126,373,773
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: FPG / Getty Images
1935
> Births: 2,155,105
> Total population: 127,250,232
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: MPI / Getty Images
1936
> Births: 2,144,790
> Total population: 128,053,180
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: FPG / Getty Images
1937
> Births: 2,203,337
> Total population: 128,824,829
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Ben Shahn / Getty Images
1938
> Births: 2,286,962
> Total population: 129,824,939
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Kurt Hutton / Getty Images
1939
> Births: 2,265,588
> Total population: 130,879,718
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1940
> Births: 2,360,399
> Total population: 132,122,446
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1941
> Births: 2,513,427
> Total population: 133,402,471
> Birth rate: 19 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1942
> Births: 2,808,996
> Total population: 134,859,553
> Birth rate: 21 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1943
> Births: 2,934,860
> Total population: 136,739,353
> Birth rate: 22 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: FPG / Getty Images
1944
> Births: 2,794,800
> Total population: 138,397,345
> Birth rate: 20 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Frederic Lewis / Getty Images
1945
> Births: 2,735,456
> Total population: 139,928,165
> Birth rate: 20 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1946
> Births: 3,288,672
> Total population: 141,388,566
> Birth rate: 23 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1947
> Births: 3,699,940
> Total population: 144,126,071
> Birth rate: 26 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1948
> Births: 3,535,068
> Total population: 146,631,302
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1949
> Births: 3,559,529
> Total population: 149,188,130
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
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Source: James W. Welgos / Getty Images
1950
> Births: 3,554,149
> Total population: 152,271,417
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1951
> Births: 3,750,850
> Total population: 154,877,889
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
Source: Graphic House / Getty Images
1952
> Births: 3,846,986
> Total population: 157,552,740
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: James
> Most popular girl name: Linda
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1953
> Births: 3,902,120
> Total population: 160,184,192
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Robert
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1954
> Births: 4,017,362
> Total population: 163,025,854
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1955
> Births: 4,047,295
> Total population: 165,931,202
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Phil Burchman / Getty Images
1956
> Births: 4,163,090
> Total population: 168,903,031
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1957
> Births: 4,254,784
> Total population: 171,984,130
> Birth rate: 25 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1958
> Births: 4,203,812
> Total population: 174,881,904
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1959
> Births: 4,244,796
> Total population: 177,829,628
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
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Source: Harvey Meston / Getty Images
1960
> Births: 4,257,850
> Total population: 180,671,158
> Birth rate: 24 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: David
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Express / Getty Images
1961
> Births: 4,268,326
> Total population: 183,691,481
> Birth rate: 23 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Mary
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1962
> Births: 4,167,362
> Total population: 186,537,737
> Birth rate: 22 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1963
> Births: 4,098,020
> Total population: 189,241,798
> Birth rate: 22 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
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Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1964
> Births: 4,027,490
> Total population: 191,888,791
> Birth rate: 21 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
Source: scattered / Flickr
1965
> Births: 3,760,358
> Total population: 194,302,963
> Birth rate: 19 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1966
> Births: 3,606,274
> Total population: 196,560,338
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
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Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1967
> Births: 3,520,959
> Total population: 198,712,056
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
Source: Evening Standard / Getty Images
1968
> Births: 3,501,564
> Total population: 200,706,052
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1969
> Births: 3,600,206
> Total population: 202,676,946
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Lisa
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Source: Harvey Meston / Getty Images
1970
> Births: 3,731,386
> Total population: 205,052,174
> Birth rate: 18 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1971
> Births: 3,555,970
> Total population: 207,660,677
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1972
> Births: 3,258,411
> Total population: 209,896,021
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1973
> Births: 3,136,965
> Total population: 211,908,788
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
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Source: Pictorial Parade / Getty Images
1974
> Births: 3,159,958
> Total population: 213,853,928
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Archive Photos / Getty Images
1975
> Births: 3,144,198
> Total population: 215,973,199
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1976
> Births: 3,167,788
> Total population: 218,035,164
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1977
> Births: 3,326,632
> Total population: 220,239,425
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1978
> Births: 3,333,279
> Total population: 222,584,545
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images
1979
> Births: 3,494,398
> Total population: 225,055,487
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
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Source: FPG / Getty Images
1980
> Births: 3,612,258
> Total population: 227,224,681
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Gene Forte / Getty Images
1981
> Births: 3,629,238
> Total population: 229,465,714
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1982
> Births: 3,680,537
> Total population: 231,664,458
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images
1983
> Births: 3,638,933
> Total population: 233,791,994
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
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Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1984
> Births: 3,669,141
> Total population: 235,824,902
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jennifer
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1985
> Births: 3,760,561
> Total population: 237,923,795
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
Source: Getty Images / Staff
1986
> Births: 3,756,547
> Total population: 240,132,887
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images
1987
> Births: 3,809,394
> Total population: 242,288,918
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
Source: Getty Images / Staff
1988
> Births: 3,909,510
> Total population: 244,498,982
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
Source: Pascal Rondeau / Getty Images
1989
> Births: 4,040,958
> Total population: 246,819,230
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
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Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1990
> Births: 4,158,212
> Total population: 249,464,396
> Birth rate: 17 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1991
> Births: 4,110,907
> Total population: 252,153,092
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1992
> Births: 4,065,014
> Total population: 255,029,699
> Birth rate: 16 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Ashley
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1993
> Births: 4,000,240
> Total population: 257,782,608
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
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Source: Phil Cole / Getty Images
1994
> Births: 3,952,767
> Total population: 260,327,021
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1995
> Births: 3,899,589
> Total population: 262,803,276
> Birth rate: 15 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Jessica
Source: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
1996
> Births: 3,891,494
> Total population: 265,228,572
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
1997
> Births: 3,880,894
> Total population: 267,783,607
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Space Frontiers / Getty Images
1998
> Births: 3,941,553
> Total population: 270,248,003
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Michael
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: USAF / Getty Images
1999
> Births: 3,959,417
> Total population: 272,690,813
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
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Source: NASA / Getty Images
2000
> Births: 4,058,814
> Total population: 282,162,411
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
2001
> Births: 4,025,933
> Total population: 284,968,955
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
2002
> Births: 4,021,726
> Total population: 287,625,193
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Scott Barbour / Getty Images
2003
> Births: 4,089,950
> Total population: 290,107,933
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
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Source: Chris Jackson / Getty Images
2004
> Births: 4,112,052
> Total population: 292,805,298
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
2005
> Births: 4,138,349
> Total population: 295,516,599
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Wathiq Khuzaie / Getty Images
2006
> Births: 4,265,555
> Total population: 298,379,912
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
24/7 Wall St.
Source: David Paul Morris / Getty Images
2007
> Births: 4,316,233
> Total population: 301,231,207
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emily
Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images
2008
> Births: 4,247,694
> Total population: 304,093,966
> Birth rate: 14 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Emma
Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images
2009
> Births: 4,130,665
> Total population: 306,771,529
> Birth rate: 13 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Isabella
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Source: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
2010
> Births: 3,999,386
> Total population: 309,346,863
> Birth rate: 13 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Isabella
Source: Majid Saeedi / Getty Images
2011
> Births: 3,953,590
> Total population: 311,718,857
> Birth rate: 13 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Sophia
Source: Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
2012
> Births: 3,952,841
> Total population: 314,102,623
> Birth rate: 13 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Jacob
> Most popular girl name: Sophia
Source: Michael Buckner / Getty Images
2013
> Births: 3,932,181
> Total population: 316,427,395
> Birth rate: 12 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Sophia
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Source: Sean Gallup / Getty Images
2014
> Births: 3,988,076
> Total population: 318,907,401
> Birth rate: 13 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma
Source: NASA / Getty Images
2015
> Births: 3,978,497
> Total population: 321,418,820
> Birth rate: 12 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images
2016
> Births: 3,945,875
> Total population: 323,071,342
> Birth rate: 12 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Noah
> Most popular girl name: Emma
Source: NASA / Getty Images
2017
> Births: 3,855,500
> Total population: 325,147,121
> Birth rate: 12 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Emma
Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
2018
> Births: 3,791,712
> Total population: 327,167,439
> Birth rate: 12 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Emma
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Source: Anthony Kwan / Getty Images
2019
> Births: 3,747,540
> Total population: 328,239,523
> Birth rate: 11 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Olivia
Source: flyparade / Getty Images
2020
> Births: 3,613,647
> Total population: 331,449,281
> Birth rate: 11 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Olivia
Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images
2021
> Births: 3,664,292
> Total population: 331,893,745
> Birth rate: 11 births per 1,000 people
> Most popular boy name: Liam
> Most popular girl name: Olivia
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