Unisex · #10,241 in 2026

Holy

Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects, or places.

Current Rank
#10,241
Peak Rank
#7,636 (2014)
Total Babies
166
5-Yr Trend
-7%
👧 Girl peak #7,636 (166 total)
👦 Boy peak #7,613 (22 total)
👧As Girl Name
1975
First Year
2024
Last Year
2014
Peak Year
#7636
Peak Rank
166
Total Count
19
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
2015
First Year
2023
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#7613
Peak Rank
22
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Holy

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

Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects, or places.

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

Etymology
The word sacred descends from the Latin sacer , referring to that which is ' consecrated , dedicated' or 'purified' to the gods or anything in their power, as well as to sacerdotes . Latin sacer is itself from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂k- "sacred, ceremony, ritual".

The Story of Holy

As a girl name

Holy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1975, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 15 Holys were born — ranking #7,636 that year. As of 2026, Holy ranks #10,241 for girls with 9 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 166 Holys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Holy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2015, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 10 Holys were born — ranking #7,613 that year. As of 2026, Holy ranks #9,752 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 22 Holys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

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 Holy

Phonetically similar names — useful when Holy 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 Holy

What does the name Holy mean?
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects, or places.
How popular is Holy in 2026?
In 2026, Holy ranks #10,241 among girls' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.
When was Holy most popular?
Holy reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #7,636 that year with 15 babies given the name.
Is Holy a unisex name?
Yes — Holy is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 88% of Holys assigned female and 12% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Holy?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Holy include Emmalou, Kenlyn, Karolynn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Holy

Holy is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 166 births in the dataset. Holy's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #7,636. Use the chart and map above to compare Holy'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.