Indigo
Indigo is a given name often used in reference to the color, a shade between the colors blue and violet. Deep blue indigo dye was originally derived from the plant called true indigo.
Meaning & Origin of Indigo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Indigo is a given name often used in reference to the color, a shade between the colors blue and violet. Deep blue indigo dye was originally derived from the plant called true indigo.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Indigo
As a girl name
Indigo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1971, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 300 Indigos were born — ranking #901 that year. As of 2026, Indigo ranks #914 for girls with 290 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Indigos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Indigo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1994, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 118 Indigos were born — ranking #1,522 that year. As of 2026, Indigo ranks #1,534 for boys with 115 births, rising sharply (+62% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Indigos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Indigo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Indigo 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 Indigo
What does the name Indigo mean?
How popular is Indigo in 2026?
When was Indigo most popular?
In which U.S. states is Indigo most popular?
Is Indigo a unisex name?
What names go well with Indigo?
About the name Indigo
Indigo is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Indigo's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #901. Use the chart and map above to compare Indigo's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- 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.