Simon
/ˈsaɪmən/
A Hebrew name usually explained as “listen”
Hebrew · from Hebrew Šimʻôn
Several of the best-known Simons in the Bible were among the first followers of Jesus. In 2025 there were 1,529, after a low of 177 in 1936.
Simon at a glance
What Simon means
A Hebrew name usually explained as “listen” — from Hebrew Šimʻôn
Simon comes from the Hebrew name Šimʻôn, usually explained as “listen” or “hearing”. A second route runs through Greek, where a word meaning flat-nosed gave rise to a similar-looking name, so the two roots have long lived side by side.
The Bible is full of Simons. Simon Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles, is the best known, and Simon the Zealot was another apostle. Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Jesus, Simon Magus was a magician confronted by Saint Peter, and Simeon, the second son of Jacob and Leah in the Hebrew Bible, is the same Hebrew name in an older form.
The crowd of Simons in the Bible has a historical background. In the first century AD Simon was the most popular male name among Jews in Roman Judea, which may well help explain why so many men in the New Testament share it.
In the Social Security files Simon appears in every year since 1880, and it was already in use at #142 in 1886. It slid to its quietest in 1936, when only 177 boys received it. It passed 1,000 in 1999. It peaked at 1,645 in 2015, and in 2025 it is #230 with 1,529 boys.
Source and context
The name history comes from Wikipedia, the people from linked Wikipedia pages, and every number from US Social Security data. We rewrite everything in our own words.
- Paragraph 1 Wikipedia: Simon (given name)
- Paragraph 2 Wikipedia: Simon (given name)
- Paragraph 3 Wikipedia: Simon (given name)
- Paragraph 4 US Social Security Administration
- Note Wikipedia: Simon (given name)
The numbers behind Simon
A look at the rankings over time and across places.
Popularity in motion
How Simon ranks among boys’ names each year, 2015 to 2025. A lower number means more popular.
Simon’s rank climbed from #235 in 2015 to #230 in 2025, and 2025 is its best year in this ten-year view.
Key moments for Simon
- 1888Passed 100 babies
109 boys · rank #142 - 1936Quietest year
177 boys · rank #417 - 1999Passed 1,000
1,128 boys · rank #267 - 2015Most babies
1,645 boys · rank #235 - 2025Latest year
#230 among boys · 1,529 boys
States where Simon ranks highest
Ranked by how popular Simon is among boys’ names in each state in 2025 (in-state rank, not births per head). The District of Columbia ranks Simon highest (#65 among boys), then Vermont (#101) and Minnesota (#112). Iowa, Washington, Kansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin complete the top eight.
- 1District of Columbia#65
- 2Vermont#101
- 3Minnesota#112
- 4Iowa#142
- 5Washington#142
- 6Kansas#158
- 7Nebraska#163
- 8Wisconsin#168
Simon across the decades
Babies named Simon in the US each year, 1880 to 2025.
In use since 1880, quiet by 1936,
then holding steady.
Simon has been recorded every year since 1880. It reached 394 boys in 1921, fell to 177 in 1936, peaked at 1,645 in 2015 and stood at 1,529 in 2025.
Source: US Social Security Administration, national baby name data, 1880–2025. Calculation: NameMochi.
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The story around Simon
Notable people and namesakes
Early and historical bearers include the Austrian Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal (1908–2005) and the Latin American military and political leader Simón Bolívar (1783–1830). More recent bearers include the apostle Simon Peter, the British television personality Simon Cowell (born 1959) and the English writer and actor Simon Pegg (born 1970).
Simon in pop culture
Castlevania Character
Simon Belmont is the hero of the video game series.
7th Heaven TV series
Simon Camden is a character in the television series.
Lord of the Flies Novel
Simon is one of the boys in the novel.
The Inbetweeners TV series
Simon Cooper is one of the main characters of the series.
The Saint Character
Simon Templar is the character at the center of The Saint.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Novel
Simon Legree is a character in the novel.
Names like Simon
Names with the same biblical and classic feel.
Compare names
Four names compared here, ranked among boys: Joel (#219), Edward (#224), Simon (#230), Patrick (#235). All of them have lost ground since 2015.
| Name | Style | Latest rank | Change since 2015 | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon | Biblical · Two syllables · Classic | #230 | ↑ 5 places | Slipping |
| Joel | Biblical | #219 | ↓ 60 places | Cooling |
| Edward | English classic | #224 | ↓ 66 places | Cooling |
| Patrick | Irish classic | #235 | ↓ 70 places | Cooling |
Change is the move in rank since 2015, so a name can climb in rank while fewer babies are given it.
Stage compares the number of babies named in 2025 with 2015 (rising or cooling at 25% or more, fast at 50% or more).
What draws people to Simon
- A classic with deep roots.Our view
- Short, strong and easy to say in almost any language.Our view
- About 1,500 boys were given the name in 2025.From the data
- Almost entirely a boy’s name: 100% of babies named Simon are boys.From the data
- A familiar name that is steady rather than trendy.Our view
Common questions about Simon
Is Simon a boy’s name or a girl’s name?
Simon is a boy’s name. In 2025, 1,529 boys were named Simon against 0 girls.
What does Simon mean?
Simon comes from the Hebrew name Šimʻôn, usually explained as “listen” or “hearing”. A Greek word meaning flat-nosed gave rise to a similar-looking name, so sources describe two roots.
How common is the name Simon?
Uncommon but no longer rare. In 2025, 1,529 American babies were named Simon, so it is not common in most classrooms.
Is Simon still rising?
Not at the moment. Simon peaked in 2015 with 1,645 boys and has eased since, to 1,529 in 2025. Over ten years the count is down 8%, yet it still ranks #230. Its best rank on record is #142, in 1886.
Who are some people named Simon?
Examples include the biblical apostles Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot, the Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, the leader Simón Bolívar, the television personality Simon Cowell and the actor Simon Pegg. Simon Belmont is the hero of the Castlevania games.
Simon has been a familiar name since the Bible, where several men carry it. Explore more names in the Finder →
How these numbers are built
Sources → Calculations → Limitations
Sources
- The US Social Security Administration’s national and state baby name files, built from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.SSA baby name data
- Data year
- Births through 2025. New data arrives each May, and we recalculate this page then.
- Dates
- Published October 2026. Last updated October 2026.
- Word and history sources
- Name history and the people who share the name come from reference works.Wikipedia: Simon (given name)Wikipedia: Simon Wiesenthal
Calculations
- Ranks
- A rank is the name’s position among girls or among boys in the SSA file for that year (most babies = #1). Girls and boys are ranked separately.
- Counts
- Babies given exactly this spelling. Spelling variants are counted separately.
- Growth, peaks, milestones, shares and comparisons are calculated by NameMochi from those files.How NameMochi calculates
- Stat cards
- The five cards are the most informative facts available for this name, picked by a score and shown in a fixed order.
Limitations
- US births only. The files record the sex shown on the application, which says nothing about how a child later identifies. Names given to fewer than five babies in a year are left out.
Source: US Social Security Administration. Calculation: NameMochi.