Temple
People and fictional characters with the name Temple include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Temple
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
People and fictional characters with the name Temple include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Temple
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Temple as a girl name dates back to 1884, when 5 babies received it. 1971 was its biggest year on record, with 88 newborns named Temple — #1,253 in the national rankings. About 21% of every Temple on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Temple ranks #9,213 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-35%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Temple on the record books as a boy name in 1888, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1964, when 26 Temples were born — ranking #1,545 that year. Temple last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 828 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Temple
Phonetically similar names — useful when Temple is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Tempel
- Timple
- Tumble
- Timbal
- Timbale
- Tymbal
- Dimple
- Temples
- Temporal
- Templer
- Stemple
- Stempel
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Temple
What does the name Temple mean?
What is the origin of the name Temple?
How popular is Temple in 2026?
When was Temple most popular?
In which U.S. states is Temple most popular?
Is Temple a unisex name?
What names go well with Temple?
About the name Temple
Temple is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Temple's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #1,024. Use the chart and map above to compare Temple's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1971 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all girl 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.