Blake
A surname derived from either Old English blæc (“black”) or from Old English blāc (“pale, fair, shining, white”), or as an anglicisation of Irish Ó Bláthmaic.
Every Blake since 1883 — 206,623 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Blake
Blake is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #316 in 2025 with 1,080 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 206,623 American babies have been named Blake — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2012, when 6,450 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Blake stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Blake year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,035 | #295 | 1,080 | #316 |
| 2024 | 1,461 | #210 | 1,321 | #265 |
| 2023 | 1,351 | #221 | 1,374 | #254 |
| 2022 | 1,448 | #200 | 1,581 | #228 |
| 2021 | 1,504 | #199 | 1,850 | #205 |
| 2020 | 1,319 | #222 | 1,815 | #209 |
| 2019 | 1,388 | #224 | 2,141 | #183 |
| 2018 | 1,185 | #280 | 2,466 | #158 |
| 2017 | 1,185 | #269 | 2,626 | #149 |
| 2016 | 1,098 | #298 | 3,290 | #127 |
| 2015 | 752 | #424 | 4,234 | #96 |
| 2014 | 501 | #591 | 4,948 | #84 |
| 2013 | 536 | #551 | 5,649 | #75 |
| 2012 | 403 | #700 | 6,047 | #71 |
| 2011 | 325 | #817 | 5,617 | #73 |
| 2010 | 241 | #1,035 | 4,703 | #87 |
| 2009 | 230 | #1,108 | 4,952 | #89 |
| 2008 | 162 | #1,455 | 5,099 | #90 |
| 2007 | 90 | #2,198 | 5,277 | #88 |
| 2006 | 91 | #2,133 | 4,537 | #97 |
| 2005 | 86 | #2,142 | 4,418 | #99 |
| 2004 | 114 | #1,699 | 4,694 | #95 |
| 2003 | 108 | #1,745 | 5,275 | #79 |
| 2002 | 130 | #1,469 | 5,358 | #76 |
| 2001 | 144 | #1,332 | 5,356 | #77 |
| 2000 | 183 | #1,115 | 5,143 | #80 |
| 1995 | 203 | #926 | 4,821 | #77 |
| 1990 | 203 | #935 | 4,103 | #91 |
| 1985 | 62 | #1,813 | 2,922 | #100 |
| 1980 | 39 | #2,442 | 971 | #237 |
| 1975 | 24 | #2,976 | 523 | #333 |
| 1970 | 17 | #3,593 | 526 | #353 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,222 | 445 | #364 |
| 1960 | — | — | 431 | #380 |
| 1955 | — | — | 279 | #445 |
| 1950 | — | — | 131 | #595 |
| 1945 | — | — | 51 | #885 |
| 1940 | — | — | 33 | #1,160 |
| 1935 | — | — | 34 | #1,126 |
| 1930 | — | — | 29 | #1,336 |
| 1925 | — | — | 37 | #1,164 |
| 1920 | — | — | 50 | #977 |
| 1915 | — | — | 38 | #1,038 |
| 1910 | — | — | 10 | #1,051 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 5 | #1,335 |
| 1895 | — | — | 5 | #1,097 |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,020 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Blake
- Blake Edwards Film director · 1922–2010
- Blake Lively Actor · b. 1987
- Blake Clark Actor · b. 1946
- Blake Shelton Singer · b. 1976
- Blake Griffin Basketball player · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Blake mean?
A surname derived from either Old English blæc (“black”) or from Old English blāc (“pale, fair, shining, white”), or as an anglicisation of Irish Ó Bláthmaic.
How popular is the name Blake in 2025?
Blake ranked #316 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,080 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Blake?
206,623 babies have been named Blake in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Blake most popular?
Blake peaked in 2012, when 6,450 newborns received the name.
Is Blake a boy or girl name?
Blake is used for both: about 10% of babies named Blake have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Blake rising or falling?
Blake is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Blake?
Well-known people named Blake include Blake Edwards (film director), Blake Lively (actor), Blake Clark (actor).