Polly
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly. Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina, Polona, Pauline, Paula, or Paulina.
Meaning & Origin of Polly
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly. Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina, Polona, Pauline, Paula, or Paulina.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Polly
Polly first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 41 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1964, when 688 Pollys were born — ranking #361 that year. As of 2026, Polly ranks #2,164 for baby girls with 88 births, rising sharply (+48% over the past five years). In total, more than 30K Pollys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Polly
Phonetically similar names — useful when Polly 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 Polly
What does the name Polly mean?
How popular is Polly in 2026?
When was Polly most popular?
In which U.S. states is Polly most popular?
Is Polly a unisex name?
What names go well with Polly?
About the name Polly
Polly is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 30K births in the dataset. Polly's peak popularity came in 1964 when it ranked #222. Use the chart and map above to compare Polly's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1964 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.