Day
A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours. As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle drives circadian rhythms in many organisms, which are vital to many life processes.
Meaning & Origin of Day
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours. As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle drives circadian rhythms in many organisms, which are vital to many life processes.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Day
As a girl name
Day first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1942, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1973, when 12 Days were born — ranking #4,586 that year. As of 2026, Day ranks #11,223 for girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 161 Days have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Day first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1915, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1922, when 7 Days were born — ranking #3,532 that year. As of 2026, Day ranks #10,860 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 136 Days have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Day
Phonetically similar names — useful when Day 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 Day
What does the name Day mean?
How popular is Day in 2026?
When was Day most popular?
Is Day a unisex name?
What names go well with Day?
About the name Day
Day is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1942 and has accumulated 161 births in the dataset. Day's peak popularity came in 1973 when it ranked #4,586. Use the chart and map above to compare Day's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1973 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl 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.