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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Whitney — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Whitman|Whitt
English◈ Unisex · 48% boy · 52% girl↓ Declining

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Whitney

◈

WIT-nee · 2 syllables

Share Whitney:
Compare with another name
Girl
#1050
↓ Declining
Girl
#1050
Popularity score: 30
↓ Declining
Peak
#941 in 2020
5yr
-69 ranks
Velocity
-69
Birth frequency
6.6 per 100,000 births
Boy
#6786
Popularity score: 11
↓ Fading
Peak
#4766 in 2021
5yr
-890 ranks
Velocity
-890
Birth frequency
3.6 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #6786 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
English boy names
Whitney

Popularity score: 11  ·  SSA Rank: #6786

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #1050 · Falling since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
English girl names
Whitney

Popularity score: 30  ·  SSA Rank: #1050

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
28
Higher than 28% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↓ Declining
-69 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
80
2 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class
Name DNA
EnglishPlace NameUnisex2-syllableNatureModernContemporaryAndrogynous
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Whitneys

resilientinventiveingeniousindustriouspioneering
STRONG
High confidence

Whitney is an English unisex name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #1050 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↓ Declining · -69 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#1050 · rare
Whitney at a Glance
Meaning:From a place name meaning 'white island' or 'wide island,' derived from Old English hwīt (white) and ēg (island).
Language root:Old English · Germanic
Peak rank:#941 in 2020
5yr change:-69 ranks
Sex usage:Girl #1050 · Boy #6786
Notable bearers
Whitney Houston
Singer (commonly perceived as female, but name originates as unisex place name)
Whitney Cummings
Comedian and actress
Whitney Port
Television personality
Similar Sound
Whitney◈Whitley◈WitneyWindyWendySidney◈
Similar Style
Riley◈Morgan◈Casey◈Avery◈Harper◈Dakota◈
Works Well With
Sibling names that pair naturally with Whitney
Riley◈Morgan◈Avery◈Jordan◈Reese◈Casey◈Parker◈Cameron◈
You Might Also Like
Riley◈
Irish · #42
→ Stable
Morgan◈
Celtic · #276
→ Stable
Casey◈
Irish · #1053
→ Stable
Avery◈
English · #31
→ Stable
Harper◈
English · #12
→ Stable
Dakota◈
English · #272
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Whitney illustration
Name Intelligence
Whitney · Overview
Summary

Whitney is an English unisex name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #1050 in the US in 2024.

Strengths
Works for any sex
48% boy · 52% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Nature · Modern character
Whitney carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Popularity declining
Rank has dropped 69 positions in the last year. Consider whether this trajectory matters for your decision.
Domain taken
whitney.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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