Ransom
How to say it: RAN-sum · /ˈrænsəm/
From English word meaning 'redemption price', via Old French - stern Puritan-style virtue surname.
Ransom was the 1,410th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 97 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 6% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,273 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,410 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 97 |
| Share of births | 1 in 34,178 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −6% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,273 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ransom peaked in the 1880s, nearly vanished by the 1970s, and has come back.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ransom is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
Famous people named Ransom
- Ransom Riggs (born 1979)American writer and filmmaker
- Ransom E. Olds (1864–1950)American businessman
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Plain English word for money paid to free a hostage — a dark meaning for a first name, open to ransom-note jokes
Keep exploring
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