Starling
Starling is a given name and a surname. According to one source, the surname arose in Old English as a nickname related to the bird, starling, but the author speculates "it is hard to see why". Another source puts the surname into a list of "surnames derived from birds".
Meaning & Origin of Starling
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Starling is a given name and a surname. According to one source, the surname arose in Old English as a nickname related to the bird, starling, but the author speculates "it is hard to see why". Another source puts the surname into a list of "surnames derived from birds".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Starling
As a girl name
Starling first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1930, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 18 Starlings were born — ranking #6,402 that year. As of 2026, Starling ranks #9,463 for girls with 8 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 234 Starlings have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Starling first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 26 Starlings were born — ranking #1,457 that year. As of 2026, Starling ranks #9,864 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 987 Starlings 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 Starling
Phonetically similar names — useful when Starling 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 Starling
What does the name Starling mean?
How popular is Starling in 2026?
When was Starling most popular?
In which U.S. states is Starling most popular?
Is Starling a unisex name?
What names go well with Starling?
About the name Starling
Starling is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 987 births in the dataset. Starling's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #1,457. Use the chart and map above to compare Starling's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy 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.