Chicago
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country.
Meaning & Origin of Chicago
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Chicago
As a girl name
Chicago first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2018, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 12 Chicagos were born — ranking #8,407 that year. As of 2026, Chicago ranks #8,407 for girls with 12 births, with steady use. In total, more than 42 Chicagos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Chicago first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1995, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 14 Chicagos were born — ranking #6,215 that year. As of 2026, Chicago ranks #6,092 for boys with 14 births, rising sharply (+70% over the past five years). In total, more than 138 Chicagos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Chicago
Phonetically similar names — useful when Chicago 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 Chicago
What does the name Chicago mean?
How popular is Chicago in 2026?
When was Chicago most popular?
Is Chicago a unisex name?
What names go well with Chicago?
About the name Chicago
Chicago is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 138 births in the dataset. Chicago's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #5,928. Use the chart and map above to compare Chicago's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy 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.