Baldwin
Baldwin is an Old Germanic and Anglo-Saxon name. It may derive either from Bealdwine, or the Old German equivalent Baldavin, meaning 'brave, bold friend'. Baldwin is Baudouin in Old French and Balduīnus in Latin, from Proto-Germanic *Balþawiniz, meaning "bold friend." In Arabic sources, the name is بالدوين (Bāldwīn).
Meaning & Origin of Baldwin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Baldwin is an Old Germanic and Anglo-Saxon name. It may derive either from Bealdwine, or the Old German equivalent Baldavin, meaning 'brave, bold friend'. Baldwin is Baudouin in Old French and Balduīnus in Latin, from Proto-Germanic *Balþawiniz, meaning "bold friend." In Arabic sources, the name is بالدوين (Bāldwīn).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Baldwin
Baldwin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1965, when 13 Baldwins were born — ranking #2,270 that year. As of 2026, Baldwin ranks #10,812 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 634 Baldwins 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 Baldwin
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Baldwin de Redvers, 1st Earl of Devon (died 1155)
- Baldwin de Redvers, 6th Earl of Devon (1217–1245)
- Baldwin Domingo (1926–2020), American politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Baldwin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Baldwin 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 Baldwin
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About the name Baldwin
Baldwin is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 634 births in the dataset. Baldwin's peak popularity came in 1965 when it ranked #2,270. Use the chart and map above to compare Baldwin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1965 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy 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.