Bud
In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be specialized to develop flowers or short shoots or may have the potential for general shoot development.
Meaning & Origin of Bud
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be specialized to develop flowers or short shoots or may have the potential for general shoot development.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Bud
Bud first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 37 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1928, when 215 Buds were born — ranking #410 that year. As of 2026, Bud ranks #5,856 for baby boys with 15 births, rising sharply (+51% over the past five years). In total, more than 10K Buds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Bud
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bud 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 Bud
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About the name Bud
Bud is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Bud's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #233. Use the chart and map above to compare Bud's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.