Girl · #15,243 in 2026

Fairy

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

A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures, a form of spirit, often with magical, metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural qualities.

Current Rank

#15,243

Peak Rank

#772 (1917)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1882

First Year

2024

Last Year

1917

Peak Year

#772

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Fairy

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 word fairy was originally a collective form of fay . It began to be reinterpreted as a singular form from the 14th century onwards. The etymon is Old French faerie , from fae (the etymon of fay ) and the suffix -erie . Fae itself derives from Latin fata , a feminine byform of fatum , meaning " fate ". It originally denoted a being taking the form of a beautiful woman and capable of using magic to influence human affairs. Various folklore traditions refer to fairies euphemistically as wee folk , good folk , people of peace , fair folk (cf. Welsh tylwyth teg ), etc.

The Story of Fairy

Fairy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1882, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 80 Fairys were born — ranking #772 that year. As of 2026, Fairy ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 2K Fairys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Fairy

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

Ferry
Faerie
Faery
Fairie
Ferri
Ferrie
Fairey
Feri
Ferie
Fieri
Pharaoh
Fiery

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fairy

What does the name Fairy mean?

How popular is Fairy in 2026?

In 2026, Fairy ranks #15,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Fairy most popular?

Fairy reached its peak popularity in 1917, ranking #772 that year with 80 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Fairy most popular?

Fairy has historically been most popular in Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Fairy.

Is Fairy a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Fairy?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Fairy include Hollis, Mariel, Katia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Fairy

Fairy is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Fairy's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #772. Use the chart and map above to compare Fairy'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.