Boy · #10,716 in 2026

Kipper

A kipper is a whole herring that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips.

Current Rank
#10,716
Peak Rank
#3,471 (1976)
Total Babies
95
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1955
First Year
2014
Last Year
1976
Peak Year
#3471
Peak Rank
95
Total Count
15
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kipper

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

A kipper is a whole herring that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips.

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

Origin & history
Origin The fish processing factory in the village of Seahouses , Northumberland , is one of the places where the practice of kippering herrings is said to have originated. Although the exact origin of the kipper is unknown, this process of slitting, gutting, and smoke-curing fish is well documented . According to Mark Kurlansky , "Smoked foods almost always carry with them legends about their having been created by accident—usually the peasant hung the food too close to the fire, and then, imagine his surprise the next morning when …". For instance Thomas Nashe wrote in 1599 about a fisherman

The Story of Kipper

Kipper first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1955, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1976, when 10 Kippers were born — ranking #3,471 that year. As of 2026, Kipper ranks #10,716 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 95 Kippers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s 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 Kipper

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kipper 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 Kipper

What does the name Kipper mean?
A kipper is a whole herring that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips.
How popular is Kipper in 2026?
In 2026, Kipper ranks #10,716 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Kipper most popular?
Kipper reached its peak popularity in 1976, ranking #3,471 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Kipper a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kipper is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Kipper?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kipper include Andray, Gorje, Dimetrius. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Andray
Peak #3471
👦
Gorje
Peak #3471
👦
Dimetrius
Peak #3471
👦
Eon
Peak #3471
👦
Antuane
Peak #3471
👦
Vipul
Peak #3471
👦
Mosi
Peak #3471
👦
Jaimey
Peak #3471

About the name Kipper

Kipper is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1955 and has accumulated 95 births in the dataset. Kipper's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #3,471. Use the chart and map above to compare Kipper'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.