Girl · #11,156 in 2026

Dandelion

Name: Popularity of the name Dandelion in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Dandelion, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Taraxacum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. The scientific and hobby study of the genus is known as taraxacology. The genus has a near-cosmopolitan distribution, absent only from tropical and polar areas.

Current Rank

#11,156

Peak Rank

#11,156 (2023)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

2021

First Year

2023

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#11156

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Dandelion

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

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

Etymology

The Latin name Taraxacum derives from the Arabic tarakhshaqūn , meaning "bitter herb". The Arabic term is possibly of Persian origin. Persian polymath Al-Razi used the word tarakhshaqūn in relation to dandelions, chicory, and endives. Al-Razi wrote "the tarakhshaqūn is like chicory, but more efficacious"; it is unclear exactly to which plant Al-Razi referred however. If Persian in origin, the word could have originally meant "bitter purslane " from تلک ( talk , 'bitter') and چکش ( chakūk , 'purslane'). Gerard of Cremona , in translating Arabic to Latin around 1170, spelled it tarasacon . The E

Origin & history

Dandelions are thought to have evolved about 30 million years ago in Eurasia . Fossil seeds of Taraxacum tanaiticum have been recorded from the Pliocene of southern Belarus . Dandelions have been used by humans for food and as a herb for much of recorded history. They were well known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and are recorded to have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over a thousand years. The plant was used as food and medicine by Native Americans . Dandelions were probably brought to North America on the Mayflower for their supposed medicinal benefits. Purposeful c

The Story of Dandelion

Dandelion first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2021, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 8 Dandelions were born — ranking #11,156 that year. As of 2026, Dandelion ranks #11,156 for baby girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 15 Dandelions have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Dandelion

Phonetically similar names — useful when Dandelion is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Dandelions
Dandilion
Handelian
Handelman
Danielson
Dandily
Danielsen
Dandolo
Tantalum
Randleman
Donelson
Dactylion

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dandelion

What does the name Dandelion mean?

How popular is Dandelion in 2026?

In 2026, Dandelion ranks #11,156 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Dandelion most popular?

Dandelion reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #11,156 that year with 8 babies given the name.

Is Dandelion a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Dandelion is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Dandelion?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Dandelion include Lareine, Athelia, Daye. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Dandelion

Dandelion is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2021 and has accumulated 15 births in the dataset. Dandelion's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #11,156. Use the chart and map above to compare Dandelion'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.