Agnes
Agnes is a feminine given name derived from the Greek Ἁγνή Hagnḗ, meaning 'pure' or 'holy'. This was Latinized Hagnes, and passed to Italian as Agnese, to French as Agnès, to Agnes in English and other Germanic languages, to Portuguese as Inês, and to Spanish as Inés.
Meaning & Origin of Agnes
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Agnes is a feminine given name derived from the Greek Ἁγνή Hagnḗ, meaning 'pure' or 'holy'. This was Latinized Hagnes, and passed to Italian as Agnese, to French as Agnès, to Agnes in English and other Germanic languages, to Portuguese as Inês, and to Spanish as Inés.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Agnes
Agnes first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 473 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 5,291 Agness were born — ranking #47 that year. As of 2026, Agnes ranks #1,018 for baby girls with 248 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 160K Agness have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Agnes
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Agnes of Assisi (1197/98–1253), one of the first abbesses of the Order of Poor Ladies
- Agnes of Bohemia (1211–1282), Bohemian princess (also listed in next section)
- Agnes of Montepulciano (1263–1317), Dominican prioress
- Agnes of Rome (c. 291–c. 304), virgin martyr
- Agnes Tsao Kou Ying (1821–1856), Chinese martyr
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Agnes
Phonetically similar names — useful when Agnes is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Agnes
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About the name Agnes
Agnes is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 160K births in the dataset. Agnes's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #37. Use the chart and map above to compare Agnes's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.