Babe
Babe is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Babe
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Babe is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Babe
As a girl name
American parents first put Babe on the record books as a girl name in 1890, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1915, when 19 Babes were born — ranking #1,738 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 35% of all recorded Babes. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1947 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 383 Babes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Babe as a boy name dates back to 1880, when 5 babies received it. 1929 was its biggest year on record, with 16 newborns named Babe — #1,933 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Babes. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1980 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 345 Babes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Babe
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Babe. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Babe
Phonetically similar names — useful when Babe 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 Babe
What does the name Babe mean?
What is the origin of the name Babe?
How popular is Babe in 2026?
When was Babe most popular?
In which U.S. states is Babe most popular?
Is Babe a unisex name?
What names go well with Babe?
What are nicknames or variants of Babe?
About the name Babe
Babe is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 383 births in the dataset. Babe's peak popularity came in 1915 when it ranked #1,738. Use the chart and map above to compare Babe's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1915 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.