Boy · #12,230 in 2026

Ghost

In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes to realistic, lifelike forms, whether they resemble humans or animals.

Current Rank
#12,230
Peak Rank
#12,015 (2020)
Total Babies
10
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2020
First Year
2023
Last Year
2020
Peak Year
#12015
Peak Rank
10
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ghost

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

In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes to realistic, lifelike forms, whether they resemble humans or animals.

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

Etymology
The English word ghost comes from Old English gāst ("breath, spirit, soul, ghost"), which can be traced back to Proto-Germanic *gaistaz ("spirit, ghost"). It is cognate (linguistic sibling from a common origin) with Old Frisian gāst ("spirit, ghost, demon"), Old Saxon gēst ("soul, vitality, spirit, demon"), Old Dutch gēst ("spirit"), and Old High German geist ("spirit") . Although recorded descendants do not appear in North and East Germanic sources (where Gothic uses ahma and Old Norse uses andi m. or önd f.), linguists reconstruct *gaistaz as stemming from pre-Germanic * ghois-t-oz ("fury, a
Origin & history
Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons

The Story of Ghost

Ghost first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2020, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 5 Ghosts were born — ranking #12,015 that year. As of 2026, Ghost ranks #12,230 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 10 Ghosts have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s 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 Ghost

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

  • Goest
  • Guest
  • Guessed
  • Gust
  • Gassed
  • Geist
  • Gost
  • Gast
  • Ghast
  • Goosed
  • Goost
  • Guste

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ghost

What does the name Ghost mean?
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes to realistic, lifelike forms, whether they resemble humans or animals.
How popular is Ghost in 2026?
In 2026, Ghost ranks #12,230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Ghost most popular?
Ghost reached its peak popularity in 2020, ranking #12,015 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Ghost a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ghost is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ghost?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ghost include Aahid, Abdulwahhab, Adanis. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Aahid
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Adanis
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Adexe
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Agamdeep
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Agni
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Alahn
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About the name Ghost

Ghost is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2020 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Ghost's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #12,015. Use the chart and map above to compare Ghost'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.