Journey
Journey is a modern English name derived from the word for a long trip. For some parents, the name evokes a sense of adventure or spiritual or physical travel or the band Journey. It is in use for both boys and girls.
Meaning & Origin of Journey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Journey is a modern English name derived from the word for a long trip. For some parents, the name evokes a sense of adventure or spiritual or physical travel or the band Journey. It is in use for both boys and girls.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Journey
As a girl name
Journey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1981, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 1,396 Journeys were born — ranking #226 that year. As of 2026, Journey ranks #345 for girls with 893 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 22K Journeys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Journey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1983, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 125 Journeys were born — ranking #1,390 that year. As of 2026, Journey ranks #1,955 for boys with 81 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 2K Journeys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Journey
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Journey Brown (born 1999), former American football running back . He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions .
- Journey Newson (born 1989), American mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship .
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Journey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Journey 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 Journey
What does the name Journey mean?
How popular is Journey in 2026?
When was Journey most popular?
In which U.S. states is Journey most popular?
Is Journey a unisex name?
What names go well with Journey?
About the name Journey
Journey is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 22K births in the dataset. Journey's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #226. Use the chart and map above to compare Journey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- 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.