Boy · #10,716 in 2026

Dandy

A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and persona, who emulated the aristocratic style of life regardless of his middle-class origin, birth, and background, especially during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Britain.

Current Rank
#10,716
Peak Rank
#2,531 (1959)
Total Babies
100
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1975
First Year
1975
Last Year
1975
Peak Year
#9068
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Dandy

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

A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and persona, who emulated the aristocratic style of life regardless of his middle-class origin, birth, and background, especially during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Britain.

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

Etymology
The earliest record of the word dandy dates back to the late 1700s, in Scottish Song. Since the late 18th century, the word dandy has been rumored to be an abbreviated usage of the 17th-century British jack-a-dandy ; the term was used to described a conceited man. In British North America , prior to American Revolution (1765–1791), a British version of the song " Yankee Doodle " in its first verse: "Yankee Doodle went to town, / Upon a little pony; / He stuck a feather in his hat, / And called it Macoroni … ." and chorus: "Yankee Doodle, keep it up, / Yankee Doodle Dandy, / Mind the music and

The Story of Dandy

Dandy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1949, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 11 Dandys were born — ranking #2,531 that year. As of 2026, Dandy ranks #10,716 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 100 Dandys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

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 Dandy

Phonetically similar names — useful when Dandy 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 Dandy

What does the name Dandy mean?
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and persona, who emulated the aristocratic style of life regardless of his middle-class origin, birth, and background, especially during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Britain.
How popular is Dandy in 2026?
In 2026, Dandy ranks #10,716 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Dandy most popular?
Dandy reached its peak popularity in 1959, ranking #2,531 that year with 11 babies given the name.
Is Dandy a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Dandy is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Dandy?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Dandy include Barlow, Jerri, Steaven. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Dandy

Dandy is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1949 and has accumulated 100 births in the dataset. Dandy's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #2,531. Use the chart and map above to compare Dandy'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.