Unisex · #3,907 in 2026

Copper

Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color.

Current Rank
#3,907
Peak Rank
#3,226 (2023)
Total Babies
443
5-Yr Trend
+29%
👧 Girl peak #6,978 (178 total)
👦 Boy peak #3,226 (443 total)
👦As Boy Name
2001
First Year
2026
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#3226
Peak Rank
443
Total Count
23
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1978
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#6978
Peak Rank
178
Total Count
19
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Copper

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The name of the metal derives from aes cyprium meaning "metal of Cyprus " in Latin. In Late Latin this became cuprum . Old English adopted this as Coper and copper , first used in the 12th century, derives from that word.

The Story of Copper

As a girl name

Copper first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1978, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 16 Coppers were born — ranking #6,978 that year. As of 2026, Copper ranks #7,388 for girls with 14 births, rising sharply (+43% over the past five years). In total, more than 178 Coppers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Copper first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2001, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 37 Coppers were born — ranking #3,226 that year. As of 2026, Copper ranks #3,907 for boys with 28 births, rising sharply (+29% over the past five years). In total, more than 443 Coppers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s 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 Copper

Phonetically similar names — useful when Copper 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 Copper

What does the name Copper mean?
Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color.
How popular is Copper in 2026?
In 2026, Copper ranks #3,907 among boys' names in the U.S., with 28 babies given the name that year.
When was Copper most popular?
Copper reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #3,226 that year with 37 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Copper most popular?
Copper has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Copper.
Is Copper a unisex name?
Yes — Copper is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 29% of Coppers assigned female and 71% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Copper?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Copper include Strider, Ihsan, Eathen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Copper

Copper is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 443 births in the dataset. Copper's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #3,226. Use the chart and map above to compare Copper'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.