Unisex · #12,237 in 2026

Thyme

Thyme is a culinary herb consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus Thymus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are native to Mediterranean countries in North Africa, Levant and Southern Europe. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses.

Current Rank
#12,237
Peak Rank
#9,479 (1999)
Total Babies
58
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #9,479 (58 total)
👦 Boy peak #10,798 (6 total)
👧As Girl Name
1995
First Year
2022
Last Year
1999
Peak Year
#9479
Peak Rank
58
Total Count
9
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
2019
First Year
2019
Last Year
2019
Peak Year
#10798
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Thyme

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

Thyme is a culinary herb consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus Thymus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are native to Mediterranean countries in North Africa, Levant and Southern Europe. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses.

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

Origin & history
Flowering thyme Wild thyme grows in the Levant , where it might have been first cultivated. Ancient Egyptians used common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) for embalming . The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage . The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the Romans , as they used it to purify their rooms and to "give an aromatic flavour to cheese and liqueurs". In the European Middle Ages , the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. In this period, women also often gave

The Story of Thyme

As a girl name

Thyme first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1995, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 9 Thymes were born — ranking #9,479 that year. As of 2026, Thyme ranks #12,237 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 58 Thymes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Thyme first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2019, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 6 Thymes were born — ranking #10,798 that year. As of 2026, Thyme ranks #10,798 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 6 Thymes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

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 Thyme

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

  • Them
  • Theme
  • Thumb
  • Thine
  • Thum
  • Thm
  • Tham
  • Thim
  • Thome
  • Thein
  • Thym
  • Thiem

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Thyme

What does the name Thyme mean?
Thyme is a culinary herb consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus Thymus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are native to Mediterranean countries in North Africa, Levant and Southern Europe. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses.
How popular is Thyme in 2026?
In 2026, Thyme ranks #12,237 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Thyme most popular?
Thyme reached its peak popularity in 1999, ranking #9,479 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Thyme a unisex name?
Yes — Thyme is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 91% of Thymes assigned female and 9% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Thyme?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Thyme include Mirza, Tanise, Raysa. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧 Similar Girl Names

👧
Mirza
Peak #9479
👧
Tanise
Peak #9479
👧
Raysa
Peak #9479
👧
Dandria
Peak #9479

👦 Similar Boy Names

👦
Renick
Peak #10798
👦
Jamson
Peak #10798
👦
Nielsen
Peak #10798
👦
Jerrison
Peak #10798

About the name Thyme

Thyme is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 58 births in the dataset. Thyme's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #9,479. Use the chart and map above to compare Thyme'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.