Unisex · #1,952 in 2026

Cree

The Cree are a North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations macro-communities.

Current Rank
#1,952
Peak Rank
#1,503 (2022)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
+19%
👧 Girl peak #1,669 (1K total)
👦 Boy peak #1,503 (1K total)
👦As Boy Name
1989
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#1503
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
31
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1989
First Year
2026
Last Year
1991
Peak Year
#1669
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
38
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cree

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

The Cree are a North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations macro-communities.

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

Etymology
The word "Cree" comes into English from the French Cris , short for Christinaux (alternatively: Kristineaux , Kiristinous , or Kilistinous ), which came from the Ojibwemowin word Kinistino . [ page needed ] The Ojibweg used the term for numerous communities which they encountered north and west of Lake Superior , predominately in Manitoba. The French used these terms to refer to various groups of peoples in Canada, some of which are now better distinguished as Severn Anishinaabe ( Oji-Cree ), who speak a related but distinct Algonquian language (Ojibwemowin). In general, Cree and peoples relat

The Story of Cree

As a girl name

Cree first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1989, with 33 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 89 Crees were born — ranking #1,669 that year. As of 2026, Cree ranks #4,557 for girls with 30 births, gradually falling (-15%). In total, more than 1K Crees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Cree first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1989, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 120 Crees were born — ranking #1,503 that year. As of 2026, Cree ranks #1,952 for boys with 81 births, rising sharply (+19% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Crees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
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WI
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VT
NH
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OR
ID
SD
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IL
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OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
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VA
MD
DE
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UT
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Cree

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cree 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 Cree

What does the name Cree mean?
The Cree are a North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations macro-communities.
How popular is Cree in 2026?
In 2026, Cree ranks #1,952 among boys' names in the U.S., with 81 babies given the name that year.
When was Cree most popular?
Cree reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #1,503 that year with 120 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Cree most popular?
Cree has historically been most popular in Mississippi, South Carolina, Maryland. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cree.
Is Cree a unisex name?
Yes — Cree is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 48% of Crees assigned female and 52% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Cree?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cree include Tolbert, Ramey, Barth. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cree

Cree is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Cree's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #1,503. Use the chart and map above to compare Cree'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.