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
Temple first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1884, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 88 Temples were born — ranking #1,253 that year. As of 2026, Temple ranks #9,213 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-35%). In total, more than 2K Temples have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Temple first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1964, when 26 Temples were born — ranking #1,545 that year. As of 2026, Temple ranks #9,864 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 828 Temples 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 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.