Girl · #9,559 in 2026

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven or knitted into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin (75-80%) and a smaller coating of sericin (20-25%). It is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons.

Current Rank
#9,559
Peak Rank
#9,559 (1993)
Total Babies
8
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1993
First Year
1993
Last Year
1993
Peak Year
#9559
Peak Rank
8
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Silk

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

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven or knitted into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin (75-80%) and a smaller coating of sericin (20-25%). It is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons.

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

Etymology
The word silk comes from Old English : sioloc , from Latin : sericum and Ancient Greek : σηρικός , romanized : sērikós , "silken", ultimately from the Chinese word "sī" and other Asian sources—compare Standard Chinese sī "silk", Mongolian sirkek .
Origin & history
Main article: History of silk Four of the most important domesticated silk moths. Top to bottom: Bombyx mori , Hyalophora cecropia , Antheraea pernyi , Samia cynthia . From Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885–1892) The production of silk originated in central China in the Neolithic period, although it would eventually reach other places of the world ( Yangshao culture, 4th millennium BC). Silk production remained confined to China until the Silk Road opened at some point during the latter part of the 1st millennium BC, though China maintained its virtual monopoly over silk production for anothe

The Story of Silk

American parents first put Silk on the record books as a baby girl name in 1993, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 8 Silks were born — ranking #9,559 that year. Silk last appeared in the published SSA data in 1993, with 8 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 8 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to 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 Silk

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

  • Silke
  • Silc
  • Sylk
  • Sulk
  • Selk
  • Selke
  • Sulc
  • Selc
  • Salc
  • Sink
  • Sync
  • Sinc

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Silk

What does the name Silk mean?
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven or knitted into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin (75-80%) and a smaller coating of sericin (20-25%). It is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons.
How popular is Silk in 2026?
In 2026, Silk ranks #9,559 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Silk most popular?
Silk reached its peak popularity in 1993, ranking #9,559 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Silk a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Silk is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Silk?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Silk include Faline, Richarda, Dechelle. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Faline
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Richarda
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👧
Dechelle
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👧
Tyshell
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👧
Lynessa
Peak #9559
👧
Kirsha
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Malesha
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Shahada
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About the name Silk

Silk is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1993 and has accumulated 8 births in the dataset. Silk's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #9,559. Use the chart and map above to compare Silk'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.