Unisex · #5,295 in 2026

Babe

Current Rank
#5,295
Peak Rank
#1,738 (1915)
Total Babies
383
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #1,738 (383 total)
👦 Boy peak #1,933 (345 total)
👧As Girl Name
1890
First Year
1947
Last Year
1915
Peak Year
#1738
Peak Rank
383
Total Count
39
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1880
First Year
1980
Last Year
1929
Peak Year
#1933
Peak Rank
345
Total Count
43
Years Active

The Story of Babe

As a girl name

Babe first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1890, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1915, when 19 Babes were born — ranking #1,738 that year. As of 2026, Babe ranks #5,295 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. 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

Babe first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1929, when 16 Babes were born — ranking #1,933 that year. As of 2026, Babe ranks #6,250 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. 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

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

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?
Babe is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1890. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Babe in 2026?
In 2026, Babe ranks #5,295 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Babe most popular?
Babe reached its peak popularity in 1915, ranking #1,738 that year with 19 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Babe most popular?
Babe has historically been most popular in Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Babe.
Is Babe a unisex name?
Yes — Babe is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 53% of Babes assigned female and 47% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Babe?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Babe include Vadie, Tsuruko, Wilmina. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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

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.