The Most Common Initials in America 2026: 100 Initials and Name Statistics

October 23, 2026
Statistics
The Most Common Initials in America 2026: J.M. is the most common pair, about 1 in 82 Americans; 13.3 percent of 2025 newborns received an A name

By Gustavo Athayde, Founder & Creative Director · Published October 23, 2026 · Last updated October 23, 2026

What are the most common initials in America? According to our analysis of 2020 Census name data, released in April 2026, the answer is J.M. About 1 in 82 Americans has a first name beginning with J and a last name beginning with M. J.S. and then J.B. follow closely.

The newest generation, however, is writing a different alphabet. In 2025, J fell to its lowest share of newborn names since records began in 1880, while A became the first initial of 1 in 7 babies and E climbed to second place for the first time since 1912. Below are 100 statistics on the most common initials, first names and surnames in America, as well as a ranking of all 676 pairs and figures for every state.

J.M.the most common initials in America, about 1 in 82 people
12.6%of Americans have a first name that starts with J
13.3%of babies born in 2025 received an A name
7.4%J’s share of 2025 newborns, the lowest since 1880

At a glance

Key takeaways

  • J.M. is the most common set of initials in America (about 1 in 82), followed by J.S. and then J.B.
  • J is the leading first initial (12.6% of Americans), while M is the leading surname initial (9.6%).
  • Just 10 initial pairs cover roughly 1 in 10 Americans, even though 676 are possible.
  • M.M. is the most common pair among women, while J.M. leads among men (about 1 in 62).
  • About 1 in 19 Americans also has matching initials, such as M.M. or S.S.
  • By contrast, U.X. is the rarest pair, held by an estimated 1 in 2.7 million people.
  • A has led newborn initials every year since 2002; in 2025 it reached 13.3% of births.
  • J fell to 7.4% of 2025 births, its lowest share since 1880, and now ranks fifth.
  • Meanwhile, E leads newborn initials in 6 northern states, from Maine to Wyoming.
  • 79% of married women took their husband’s last name, keeping the shared initial at the heart of the family monogram.

The most common initials in America: the full ranking

Initials are rarely counted directly, because no agency publishes first and last names together. We combined the 2020 Census files of first names and last names, released in April 2026, to estimate how often each of the 676 possible pairs occurs.

Chart: the 15 most common initial pairs

J.M. is the most common set of initials in AmericaEstimated share of Americans with each first-name and last-name initial, 2020 Census. In fact, all four of the top pairs begin with J.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
The 15 most common initial pairs in AmericaBar chart: J.M. leads at 1.21 percent of Americans, about 1 in 82, ahead of J.S. and J.B.J.M.1.21% · 1 in 82J.S.1.19% · 1 in 84J.B.1.06% · 1 in 95J.C.0.97% · 1 in 103M.M.0.94% · 1 in 107M.S.0.92% · 1 in 109J.H.0.88% · 1 in 113A.M.0.88% · 1 in 114A.S.0.86% · 1 in 116M.B.0.82% · 1 in 123A.B.0.76% · 1 in 131M.C.0.75% · 1 in 133J.R.0.74% · 1 in 134C.M.0.71% · 1 in 142J.G.0.70% · 1 in 142
The 15 most common initial pairs in AmericaBar chart: J.M. leads at 1.21 percent of Americans, about 1 in 82, ahead of J.S. and J.B.J.M.1.21% · 1 in 82J.S.1.19% · 1 in 84J.B.1.06% · 1 in 95J.C.0.97% · 1 in 103M.M.0.94% · 1 in 107M.S.0.92% · 1 in 109J.H.0.88% · 1 in 113A.M.0.88% · 1 in 114A.S.0.86% · 1 in 116M.B.0.82% · 1 in 123A.B.0.76% · 1 in 131M.C.0.75% · 1 in 133J.R.0.74% · 1 in 134C.M.0.71% · 1 in 142J.G.0.70% · 1 in 142
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Chart: every pair from A.A. to Z.Z.

Find your initials: the full map of 676 pairsRead across from your first initial and then down to your last. Darker gold means more Americans share the pair; the scale is compressed so rarer pairs stay visible.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
How common is every pair of initials, A.A. to Z.Z.Grid of 676 initial pairs; the darkest cells are J.M., J.S. and J.B., the palest involve Q, U and X.Last-name initial →ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZRarerMost common (1.21%)First-name initial ↓
How common is every pair of initials, A.A. to Z.Z.Grid of 676 initial pairs; the darkest cells are J.M., J.S. and J.B., the palest involve Q, U and X.Last-name initial →ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZRarerMost common (1.21%)

Table: the 50 most common initial pairs

Initial pairs ranked 26 to 50

Estimated share of the U.S. population whose first name and last name begin with each pair of letters, based on the 2020 Census first-name and last-name files (released April 2026). Newborn ranks combine 2025 Social Security baby name data with 2020 Census last names. Gustavo Athayde analysis; see Methodology.

The most common pairs

  1. 1.ATELIER ANALYSISJ.M. is the most common set of first-and-last initials in America: an estimated 1.21% of Americans, about 1 in 82, have a first name starting with J and a last name starting with M (2020 Census, released 2026). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  2. 2.ATELIER ANALYSISJ.S. ranks second (1.19%, about 1 in 84) and J.B. third (1.06%, about 1 in 95), so all four of the most common pairs begin with J, ahead of M.M. in fifth place (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  3. 3.ATELIER ANALYSISJ.M., J.S., J.B., J.C., M.M. are the five most common initial pairs in the country, so all five are built from just the letters J, M, S, B and C (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  4. 4.ATELIER ANALYSIS9.7% of Americans, roughly 1 in 10, share one of just 10 initial pairs, even though there are 676 possible combinations (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  5. 5.ATELIER ANALYSIS53.3% of Americans carry one of the 100 most common initial pairs, so more than half the country fits within 15% of the possible combinations (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data

Men, women and matching initials

  1. 6.ATELIER ANALYSISJ.M. is the most common pair among men, at 1.60% or about 1 in 62; among women, by contrast, M.M. leads at 1.08%, about 1 in 93 (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  2. 7.ATELIER ANALYSIS5.3% of Americans, about 1 in 19, have matching initials such as M.M., S.S. or C.C.; in particular, M.M. is the most common of these alliterative pairs (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  3. 8.ATELIER ANALYSISA.M. and A.S. are the most common initial pairs that do not begin with J or M, ranking 8th and 9th nationally, higher than any pair that starts with C, D or S (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data

The rarest initials

  1. 9.ATELIER ANALYSISU.X. is the rarest pair of initials in America, held by an estimated 1 in 2,725,338 people; similarly, X.X., Q.X. and U.U. are nearly as scarce (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data

What this means for couples and families. A common pair of initials, however, is not a common monogram. Two people who share J.M. can carry entirely different letterforms, proportions and ornaments; the design, not the letters, is what makes a personal monogram unmistakably one’s own. For the rarest pairs, by contrast, the opposite holds: a single initial monogram built around an uncommon letter already reads as distinctive.

Most common first initials and last-name initials

The 2020 Census counted first names for the first time in three decades, which lets us measure initials across the whole population rather than only among newborns. The first-name initial sets the left side of most monograms; the surname initial sits at the center of the classic three-letter monogram and is the letter a family shares across generations.

Chart: first and last initials, A to Z

J leads first names; M leads last namesShare of Americans whose first or last name begins with each letter, 2020 Census. B, H and W are far more common as last-name initials than as first-name initials.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Share of Americans by first-name and last-name initial, A to ZPaired bars from A to Z: J leads first names at 12.6 percent, while M leads last names at 9.6 percent.First namesLast namesA9.1%3.9%B4.5%8.4%C7.4%7.7%D6.6%4.6%E4.4%1.8%F1.2%3.3%G2.9%5.6%H2.1%7.0%I1.1%0.4%J12.6%3.0%K5.4%3.2%L5.3%5.0%M9.7%9.6%N2.5%2.0%O0.7%1.5%P2.7%5.0%Q0.1%0.3%R6.2%5.9%S6.9%9.4%T4.2%3.5%U0.1%0.2%V1.3%1.8%W1.7%5.5%X0.1%0.1%Y0.5%0.7%Z0.5%0.6%
Share of Americans by first-name and last-name initial, A to ZPaired bars from A to Z: J leads first names at 12.6 percent, while M leads last names at 9.6 percent.First namesLast namesA9.1%3.9%B4.5%8.4%C7.4%7.7%D6.6%4.6%E4.4%1.8%F1.2%3.3%G2.9%5.6%H2.1%7.0%I1.1%0.4%J12.6%3.0%K5.4%3.2%L5.3%5.0%M9.7%9.6%N2.5%2.0%O0.7%1.5%P2.7%5.0%Q0.1%0.3%R6.2%5.9%S6.9%9.4%T4.2%3.5%U0.1%0.2%V1.3%1.8%W1.7%5.5%X0.1%0.1%Y0.5%0.7%Z0.5%0.6%

Table: every letter, A to Z

Letters N to Z

Share of Americans whose first or last name begins with each letter (2020 Census, released April 2026) and share of babies born in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Most common names are from the 2020 Census files.

First-name initials and first names

  1. 10.ATELIER ANALYSIS12.6% of Americans have a first name beginning with J, the most common first initial in the country, while M (9.7%) and A (9.1%) follow (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  2. 11.ATELIER ANALYSIS16.7% of American men, about 1 in 6, have a first name that starts with J, especially John and James (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  3. 12.ATELIER ANALYSISM is the most common first initial among American women (11.2%), followed by A (10.6%) and then S (8.8%) (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  4. 13.3,476,721 Americans are named Michael, the most common first name in the 2020 Census, followed by John (3,125,123) and then James (2,996,421). — Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  5. 14.5.2 million different first names were recorded in the 2020 Census, the first census since 1990 to publish first-name data. — Census Bureau, 2020 Census first names brief and Census Bureau, 2020 names release
  6. 15.4,505,076 boys born from 1926 to 2025 were named James, the most popular boys’ name of the past century; meanwhile, Mary leads girls with 2,845,637. — Social Security Administration

Last-name initials and surnames

  1. 16.ATELIER ANALYSIS9.6% of Americans have a last name beginning with M, the most common surname initial, narrowly ahead of S (9.4%) and B (8.4%) (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  2. 17.ATELIER ANALYSIS0.06% of Americans have a last name beginning with X, the rarest surname initial; Xiong is the most common X surname, with 45,183 bearers (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  3. 18.2,369,644 Americans carry the surname Smith, the most common last name in the 2020 Census, followed by Johnson (1,858,234) and Williams (1,561,395). — Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  4. 19.Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones were the five most common last names in 2000, 2010 and 2020 alike. — Census Bureau, 2020 Census last names brief
  5. 20.8 of the top 15 last names in 2020 have stayed in the top 15 since the first census in 1790, a rare thread of continuity across 230 years of American family history. — Census Bureau, 2020 names release

Initials of the newest generation: baby names in 2025

Social Security records cover nearly every child born in the United States, so they are the most current measure of the initials Americans are choosing today.

The newest initials

  1. 21.ATELIER ANALYSIS13.3% of babies born in the United States in 2025, about 1 in 7, received a first name beginning with A, so A is now the most common first initial for a new generation. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  2. 22.ATELIER ANALYSISE rose to second place among 2025 first initials (8.4%), its highest ranking since 1912, ahead of M (8.2%) and L (7.5%). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  3. 23.ATELIER ANALYSISA has been the leading first initial for American newborns every year since 2002, when it overtook J. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  4. 24.ATELIER ANALYSISA.M. is the most likely set of initials for a baby born in 2025 (1.28%), followed by A.S. and then A.B. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data and Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  5. 25.ATELIER ANALYSIS16.5% of girls born in 2025, about 1 in 6, received a name starting with A, particularly Amelia (12,699 births) and Ava (7,732). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  6. 26.ATELIER ANALYSISJ still leads among boys born in 2025, by a narrow margin: 10.46% of boys received a J name, against 10.36% for A. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  7. 27.ATELIER ANALYSIS4,319 distinct girls’ and boys’ names beginning with A were given to five or more babies in 2025, the most varied letter by far; by contrast, K is second with 2,811. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data

Names of 2025

  1. 28.Olivia and Liam were America’s most popular baby names in 2025; in fact, it was the seventh consecutive year both names held the top spot. — Social Security Administration
  2. 29.Liam, Noah, Oliver, Theodore and Henry led the boys’ list in 2025; meanwhile, Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia and Sophia led the girls’ list. — Social Security Administration
  3. 30.About 72% of babies born in 2025 received a name from the top 1,000 list, slightly lower than the 73.25% recorded in 2016. — Social Security Administration, baby name data
  4. 31.75.59% of boys born in 2025 received a top-1,000 name, compared with 67.25% of girls, as parents continue to choose more distinctive names for daughters. — Social Security Administration, baby name data
  5. 32.3,593,747 U.S.-born babies of 2025 held a Social Security number as of March 2026, specifically 1,835,823 boys and 1,757,924 girls. — Social Security Administration
  6. 33.1,108 places: Kasai was the fastest-rising boys’ name of 2025, climbing from No. 1,747 to No. 639 and, as a result, entering the top 1,000 for the first time. — Social Security Administration
  7. 34.124,842 boys born from 2020 to 2025 were named Liam, the leading boys’ name of the decade so far; Olivia leads the girls with 95,853. — Social Security Administration
  8. 35.1,396 places: Klarity was the fastest-rising girls’ name of 2025, climbing from No. 2,187 to No. 791, an even larger jump than that of any boys’ name. — Social Security Administration

How American initials changed over a century, and through history

The national baby name files reach back to 1880. Read year by year, they show one letter, J, holding first place for most of the twentieth century before handing it to A. Initials themselves are far older: they have marked ownership and identity for centuries, from engraved silver to royal ciphers.

Chart: J, A, M and E since 1925

A century of initials: J gives way to A, and E returnsShare of babies born each year whose first name begins with each letter. J led from 1925 to 2001, while A has led every year since 2002.Source: Social Security Administration, national baby name data 1925–2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Share of U.S. newborns by first initial, J, A, M and E, 1925 to 2025Line chart: J fell from 17.0 percent of newborns in 1981 to 7.4 percent in 2025, while A rose to 13.3 percent.06%12%18%192519451965198520052025A overtakes J, 2002A 13.3%E 8.4%M 8.2%J 7.4%
Share of U.S. newborns by first initial, J, A, M and E, 1925 to 2025Line chart: J fell from 17.0 percent of newborns in 1981 to 7.4 percent in 2025, while A rose to 13.3 percent.06%12%18%1925196520052025A 13.3%E 8.4%M 8.2%J 7.4%

The long reign of J

  1. 36.ATELIER ANALYSIS17.0% of American newborns received a J name in 1981, the highest share for J in any year since 1925. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  2. 37.ATELIER ANALYSIS7.4% of babies born in 2025 received a J name, the lowest share for the letter in any year since records begin in 1880. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  3. 38.ATELIER ANALYSIS5th: J has fallen to fifth place among newborn initials, behind A, E, M and L, even though it led the nation every year from 1925 to 2001. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  4. 39.ATELIER ANALYSIS77 years: J was America’s leading first initial for newborns from 1925 through 2001, the longest reign of any letter; before that, M led from 1883 to 1924. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data

Rising and fading letters

  1. 40.ATELIER ANALYSIS3.5% of newborns received an A name in 1954, the letter’s low point; since then, the share has nearly quadrupled, to 13.3%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  2. 41.ATELIER ANALYSIS11.1% of babies born in the 1950s received a D name, second only to J; in 2025, however, the figure was 3.6%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  3. 42.ATELIER ANALYSISNearly double: E names account for 8.4% of 2025 births but only 4.4% of all Americans, a measure of how quickly the letter has returned to favor. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data and Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  4. 43.ATELIER ANALYSIS3 times: O and Z names are, in fact, about three times as common among 2025 newborns (2.0% and 1.7%) as in the population as a whole (0.7% and 0.5%). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data and Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  5. 44.ATELIER ANALYSIS44.9% of 2025 babies received a name starting with A, E, M, L or J; similarly, a century of births (1926–2025) shows the same concentration, 45.1% for its own top five letters. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data

Monograms in history

  1. 45.1896: Louis Vuitton introduced its Monogram canvas when the earlier Damier canvas was copied; Georges Vuitton designed it with the initials L.V. in tribute to his father. — Louis Vuitton
  2. 46.1776: a silver camp cup engraved with George Washington’s crest, now in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, also dates from the year of independence. — Smithsonian Institution
  3. 47.1484: the founding year of the College of Arms, which also designed the royal cypher of King Charles III, his initials beneath a crown, released in September 2022. — The Royal Household

What research says about initials

  1. 48.31%: following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the share of donors whose names began with K rose 31% above baseline, in a study of 66,000 Red Cross donations (Judgment and Decision Making, 2008). — Judgment and Decision Making
  2. 49.No evidence: a 2011 replication using two new datasets found that students with A or B initials do not earn higher grades; therefore, it offers a useful caution on initial-based effects. — Drexel University

What this means for anyone commissioning a monogram. Centuries of engraved silver and signet rings show that initials last when they are designed to be used, not merely displayed. A signet design or a wax seal carries the same letters across generations; the craftsmanship is what makes them worth keeping.

The most common initials by state

State files from the Social Security Administration show how naming tastes differ from one state to the next. The pattern is a clear one: a national preference for A, while the North shows a distinct preference for E.

Map: leading initial by state

A leads in 44 states; E has taken the NorthMost common first initial among babies born in 2025, with its share of births in each state.Source: Social Security Administration, state baby name data 2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Leading first initial for babies born in 2025, by stateTile map: A leads newborn initials in 44 states and D.C., while E leads in six northern states.AKA 11.6%MEE 9.8%VTE 10.0%NHE 9.6%WAA 12.9%IDA 10.3%MTA 9.2%NDE 10.8%MNA 11.6%ILA 13.4%WIA 10.8%MIA 11.6%NYA 14.3%RIA 13.8%MAA 12.7%ORA 12.5%NVA 15.7%WYE 12.0%SDE 10.0%IAA 10.0%INA 11.4%OHA 11.3%PAA 12.1%NJA 14.3%CTA 12.6%CAA 15.7%UTA 10.1%COA 12.9%NEA 11.4%MOA 10.6%KYA 11.0%WVA 10.3%VAA 12.8%MDA 13.5%DEA 13.0%AZA 15.1%NMA 16.8%KSA 11.1%ARA 11.1%TNA 11.4%NCA 12.4%SCA 11.7%DCA 12.8%OKA 11.5%LAA 11.7%MSA 11.2%ALA 10.7%GAA 12.9%HIA 11.1%TXA 15.3%FLA 14.9%A leads (44 states and D.C.)E leads (6 states)
Leading first initial for babies born in 2025, by stateTile map: A leads newborn initials in 44 states and D.C., while E leads in six northern states.A leads (44 states and D.C.)E leads (6 states)E leads: ME, NH, VT, ND, SD, WY.Highest A share: New Mexico, 16.8%.

Table: leading first initials in every state

States Kansas to New Mexico

States New York to Wyoming

Share of babies born in 2025 whose first name begins with each letter, by state of birth. Social Security Administration state files list names given to five or more babies in a state. Gustavo Athayde analysis.

Where A and E lead

  1. 50.ATELIER ANALYSIS44 states and D.C. had A as the leading first initial for babies born in 2025, while E led in the other six states. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  2. 51.ATELIER ANALYSIS6 states: by contrast, in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, E overtook A as the most common first initial for 2025 newborns. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  3. 52.ATELIER ANALYSIS12.0% of babies born in Wyoming in 2025 received an E name, a higher share than in any other state. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  4. 53.ATELIER ANALYSIS16.8% of babies born in New Mexico in 2025 received an A name, the highest share in the nation, followed by California (15.7%) and then Nevada (15.7%). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data

The South, J and the runners-up

  1. 54.ATELIER ANALYSIS11 jurisdictions: in 2005, J led newborn initials in 10 states, mostly across the South, and in D.C.; by 2025, however, it led in none. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  2. 55.ATELIER ANALYSIS9.4% of Rhode Island newborns received a J name in 2025, the highest share in the country; J still ranks second in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  3. 56.ATELIER ANALYSIS31 states had E as the second most common initial for 2025 newborns, the most frequent runner-up nationwide; meanwhile, M was second in 7 states, including New York and New Jersey. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  4. 57.ATELIER ANALYSISW is the most distinctive newborn initial in 22 states in 2025, from Alaska to Virginia, meaning its share there exceeds its national share by more than that of any other letter. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data
  5. 58.ATELIER ANALYSIS9.2%: in 2025, Montana had the lowest share of A names among the 45 jurisdictions where A leads, while E (8.4%) and L (8.0%) follow close behind. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Social Security Administration, baby name data

What this means for families choosing a name. A child’s initials will appear on far more than a birth certificate: on keepsakes, stationery and, often, a family monogram. Parents who pair a first name with the family surname can look at the full initials, including the middle name, before deciding.

Initials, marriage and the family name

A shared surname is the thread that most couple and family monograms are built around. The data show that this tradition remains the American norm, even though couples now marry later.

Names and the shared surname

  1. 59.ATELIER ANALYSIS6.3%, about 1 in 16: the chance that a man and a woman chosen at random share the same first initial; this is also the starting point of many matching couple monograms (2020 Census). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of Census Bureau, 2020 Census names data
  2. 60.79% of women in opposite-sex marriages say they took their husband’s last name, 14% kept their own and 5% hyphenated (Pew survey of 2,437 married adults, April 2023). — Pew Research Center
  3. 61.92% of men in opposite-sex marriages kept their last name (Pew, 2023). — Pew Research Center
  4. 62.58% of Americans view a woman taking her spouse’s last name positively (YouGov survey of 1,162 adults, April 2025). — YouGov
  5. 63.52% of Americans say children of parents with different surnames should take the father’s last name; 17% favor a hyphenated name (YouGov, 2025). — YouGov

Marriage in America

  1. 64.2,128,446 marriages were recorded in the United States in 2024, a rate of 6.3 per 1,000 people, higher than the 6.1 recorded in 2023 (provisional). — CDC/NCHS
  2. 65.47% of U.S. households were married couples in 2025, compared with 66% in 1975. — Census Bureau, Current Population Survey
  3. 66.31.2 women married per 1,000 unmarried women in 2024, a refined marriage rate that held stable from the year before. — NCFMR, Bowling Green State University
  4. 67.51.7 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women gave Utah the highest refined marriage rate in the nation in 2024, and in fact the fifth consecutive year it has led. — NCFMR, Bowling Green State University
  5. 68.1.87 million men and 1.80 million women married for the first time in 2023. — NCFMR, Bowling Green State University

Marriage age and stability

  1. 69.30.8 and 28.4: the median age at first marriage for American men and women in 2025, compared with 23.5 and 21.1 in 1975. — Census Bureau, Current Population Survey
  2. 70.2.3 divorces per 1,000 people were recorded in 2024 (45 reporting states and D.C.), lower than the 4.0 recorded in 2000. — CDC/NCHS
  3. 71.About 40% of first marriages are now expected to end in divorce, lower than the long-quoted “half,” according to the Institute for Family Studies (2025). — Institute for Family Studies
  4. 72.39% of Americans say it is very important for a couple with a child to be legally married, 10 points higher than in 2020 (Gallup survey of 1,001 adults, May 2026). — Gallup
  5. 73.82% of Americans say their parents were married when they were born, and 67% were raised in a two-parent household (Gallup, 2026). — Gallup

What this means for couples. When a wife takes her husband’s surname, a wedding monogram traditionally places the shared last initial at the center, flanked by the two first initials. Couples who keep their own names often choose a couple monogram built from both first initials instead. Either way, the choice belongs to the couple.

Wedding, tradition and family heritage statistics

Weddings remain the occasion when most Americans first commission something bearing their initials, from invitations to engraved rings. Interest in family history, meanwhile, keeps the surname at the center of how Americans understand where they come from.

Weddings and celebrations

  1. 74.$34,000 was the average cost of a U.S. wedding in 2025, holding steady year over year, while the average guest count was 117 (The Knot study of 10,474 couples). — The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study
  2. 75.$292 per guest was the average spent on a 2025 wedding, $8 more than in 2024 (The Knot). — The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study
  3. 76.$36,000 is the average wedding cost in Zola’s 2026 First Look Report of more than 11,500 couples marrying in 2026; it differs from The Knot’s figure because it surveys couples before, not after, the wedding. — Zola
  4. 77.$4,600 was the average engagement ring spend among couples married in 2025, while the average center stone measured 1.9 carats (The Knot). — The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study
  5. 78.$510 is the average cost of a full wedding stationery suite, while invitations alone average $220 (The Knot, 2025 weddings). — The Knot
  6. 79.61% of couples who married in 2025 wrote their own vows, more than half of all couples (The Knot). — The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study
  7. 80.87% of couples married in 2025 opened their reception with a first dance, the most enduring reception tradition (The Knot). — The Knot

Family history and heritage

  1. 81.1.8 billion people are now searchable in the FamilySearch Family Tree, after 163 million were added in 2025. — FamilySearch
  2. 82.22.7 billion searchable names and images are available on FamilySearch, after 2.2 billion were added in 2025. — FamilySearch
  3. 83.70 billion+ historical records, 3.8 million subscribers and a DNA network of more than 29 million people make up Ancestry, according to its 2025 Impact Report. — Ancestry
  4. 84.31% of Americans would like to know a great deal about their family’s ancestry, but only 9% say they do (YouGov survey of 1,164 adults, January 2025). — YouGov
  5. 85.21% of Americans have taken a DNA test, and most testers took one because they wanted to learn about their ancestry and heritage (YouGov, January 2025). — YouGov

Monogram, craft and personalization statistics

Monograms sit at the meeting point of family enterprise, skilled trades and the gifts Americans give at life’s milestones. These figures also describe that wider economy.

Family enterprise and the craft trades

  1. 86.27.3% of all U.S. firms were family-owned in 2021, while they employed 34.1% of the workforce, about 42.3 million people. — SBA Office of Advocacy
  2. 87.36.2 million small businesses operate in the United States, accounting for almost 46% of private-sector employment (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025). — SBA Office of Advocacy
  3. 88.58% of America’s 53,400 craft and fine artists were self-employed in 2025, a measure of how much American craft runs on independent studios. — Bureau of Labor Statistics
  4. 89.$62,960 was the median annual wage of U.S. graphic designers in May 2025; meanwhile, the occupation held about 253,100 jobs. — Bureau of Labor Statistics
  5. 90.32,800 Americans worked as jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in 2025, a trade in which hand engraving remains a named specialty; the median wage was $52,540. — Bureau of Labor Statistics

Trademarks and brands

  1. 91.824,000+ new trademark classes were filed with the USPTO in fiscal 2025, up 7.4% from the year before. — USPTO

Holiday gifts and jewelry

  1. 92.$7 billion was planned for jewelry on Valentine’s Day 2026, the largest gift category, while total planned spending reached a record $29.1 billion (NRF survey of 7,791 adults). — National Retail Federation
  2. 93.$199.78 was the record average Valentine’s Day gift budget per shopper in 2026, up from $188.81 a year earlier (NRF). — National Retail Federation
  3. 94.$7.5 billion in jewelry led Mother’s Day 2026 gift spending, part of a record $38 billion (NRF survey of 7,877 adults). — National Retail Federation
  4. 95.$284.25 per person was the record average Mother’s Day gift budget in 2026, while 84% of U.S. adults planned to celebrate (NRF). — National Retail Federation
  5. 96.$226.58 was the average planned Father’s Day spend per shopper in 2026, a record and higher than the previous record of $199.38 in 2025 (NRF survey of 7,914 consumers). — National Retail Federation

Handmade and luxury markets

  1. 97.5.6 million active sellers and 86.5 million active buyers used the Etsy marketplace at the end of 2025. — Etsy, Inc.
  2. 98.$10.46 billion in gross merchandise sales passed through the Etsy marketplace in 2025. — Etsy, Inc.
  3. 99.+60%: Etsy searches for engraved cutting boards rose 60% ahead of the 2025 holiday season, a sign of steady demand for personalized gifts (data as of September 2, 2025). — Etsy Seller Handbook
  4. 100.€101 billion in luxury sales came from the Americas in 2025, so the region accounts for roughly one-third of global luxury spending (Bain & Company). — Bain & Company

What this means for brands and family enterprises. A family business that has carried one name for generations already owns its most valuable letters. A brand monogram drawn from those initials can be registered, engraved and used for decades, which is exactly what makes it worth commissioning with care.

Methodology

The ranking of initial pairs combines two U.S. Census Bureau files released in April 2026: the 53,615 first names and the 156,621 last names reported 100 or more times in the 2020 Census (with small adjustments from the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance method). For each letter we summed the counts of all names that begin with it, then multiplied the share of first names by the share of last names to estimate the share of each of the 676 pairs. The Census does not publish first and last names together, so this approach assumes that first-name and last-name initials are independent; names reported fewer than 100 times are not included.

Newborn figures come from the Social Security Administration’s national and state baby name files for 1880 to 2025, which list every name given to at least five babies nationally or in a state. Letter shares are the sum of births for all names starting with that letter divided by all births in the file. State files apply the five-baby threshold within each state, so state shares cover a slightly smaller set of births. All comparisons are descriptive.

Survey figures (Pew, YouGov, Gallup, The Knot, NRF) are reported as published, with their sample sizes. Items marked ATELIER ANALYSIS are our own calculations from the public sources cited; the calculations are documented in our verification log.

About the author

Gustavo Athayde, Founder and Creative Director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde — Founder & Creative Director, GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde is the founder and creative director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE, a bespoke monogram atelier based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graphic designer by training, he creates monograms, personal and family crests, heraldic emblems, signet designs and wax seals for individuals, families, couples and brands across the United States. Every commission is refined line by line into a symbol meant to be kept, used and passed down.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common initials in America?
J.M. is the most common pair of first and last initials, shared by an estimated 1.21% of Americans, or about 1 in 82. J.S. (1 in 84) and then J.B. (1 in 95) follow, based on 2020 Census name data.
What is the most common first initial?
J. About 12.6% of Americans have a first name that begins with J, led by John and James, while M (9.7%) and A (9.1%) follow.
What is the most common last-name initial?
M, at 9.6% of Americans, is slightly more common than S (9.4%) and B (8.4%). Miller is the most common M surname, while Smith leads the S names.

More questions about initials and names

What are the rarest initials?
U.X. is the rarest pair, at an estimated 1 in 2.7 million people. Similarly, pairs combining Q, U or X are the scarcest; X is the rarest last-name initial and U the rarest first-name initial.
What first initial is most popular for babies today?
A. In 2025, 13.3% of U.S. newborns received a name beginning with A, and A has led every year since 2002. Meanwhile, E ranked second for the first time since 1912.
Do most women still take their husband’s last name?
Yes. In a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 79% of women in opposite-sex marriages said they took their husband’s last name, 14% kept their own and 5% hyphenated.

Cite this page

Source: Gustavo Athayde, "The Most Common Initials in America 2026", https://gustavoathayde.com/most-common-initials/

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