Girl · #13,455 in 2026

Serendipity

Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754.

Current Rank
#13,455
Peak Rank
#10,690 (2004)
Total Babies
43
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2002
First Year
2023
Last Year
2004
Peak Year
#10690
Peak Rank
43
Total Count
7
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Serendipity

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

Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754.

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

Etymology
The first noted use of "serendipity" was by Horace Walpole on 28 January 1754. In a letter he wrote to his friend Horace Mann , Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made about a painting of Bianca Cappello , which he recently received from Mann as a gift. The finding regarded the coat of arms of the Cappello family and was categorised by reference to a Persian fairy tale, " The Three Princes of Serendip ". The princes, he told his correspondent, were "always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of." The name comes from Serendip , an

The Story of Serendipity

Serendipity first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2002, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 9 Serendipitys were born — ranking #10,690 that year. As of 2026, Serendipity ranks #13,455 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 43 Serendipitys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s 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

Where is Serendipity most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • Italy
    32%
  • South Korea
    32%
  • Spain
    18%
  • United Kingdom
    10%
  • France
    8%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Serendipity

Phonetically similar names — useful when Serendipity is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Serendipities
  • Serendipitous
  • Serendipitously
  • Serendip
  • Snippety
  • Sandpit

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Serendipity

What does the name Serendipity mean?
Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754.
How popular is Serendipity in 2026?
In 2026, Serendipity ranks #13,455 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Serendipity most popular?
Serendipity reached its peak popularity in 2004, ranking #10,690 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Serendipity a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Serendipity is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Serendipity?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Serendipity include Matiana, Lenis, Charle. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Matiana
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Lenis
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👧
Charle
Peak #10690
👧
Deani
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👧
Jaleh
Peak #10690
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Betzabel
Peak #10690
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Anamari
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Carynn
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About the name Serendipity

Serendipity is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2002 and has accumulated 43 births in the dataset. Serendipity's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #10,690. Use the chart and map above to compare Serendipity'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.