Kirby
Originally Kirkby, from kirk (“church”) + -by (“habitation”), "village with a church".
Every Kirby since 1881 — 18,495 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kirby
Kirby is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,278 in 2025 with 36 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 18,495 American babies have been named Kirby — about 79% boys and 21% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1984, when 509 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Kirby stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kirby 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 | 65 | #2,671 | 36 | #3,278 |
| 2024 | 70 | #2,545 | 52 | #2,583 |
| 2023 | 55 | #3,036 | 47 | #2,758 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,770 | 44 | #2,896 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2,771 | 39 | #3,098 |
| 2020 | 39 | #3,751 | 52 | #2,489 |
| 2019 | 34 | #4,215 | 43 | #2,881 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3,420 | 51 | #2,532 |
| 2017 | 33 | #4,340 | 45 | #2,740 |
| 2016 | 31 | #4,588 | 44 | #2,746 |
| 2015 | 28 | #4,924 | 55 | #2,377 |
| 2014 | 31 | #4,608 | 40 | #2,912 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5,075 | 44 | #2,690 |
| 2012 | 30 | #4,779 | 48 | #2,575 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,462 | 51 | #2,461 |
| 2010 | 24 | #5,713 | 50 | #2,492 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5,639 | 47 | #2,643 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,586 | 49 | #2,566 |
| 2007 | 20 | #6,701 | 64 | #2,128 |
| 2006 | 22 | #6,031 | 53 | #2,366 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5,698 | 50 | #2,350 |
| 2004 | 23 | #5,465 | 60 | #2,010 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4,744 | 54 | #2,092 |
| 2002 | 28 | #4,449 | 64 | #1,802 |
| 2001 | 41 | #3,344 | 82 | #1,491 |
| 2000 | 50 | #2,881 | 73 | #1,622 |
| 1995 | 97 | #1,571 | 129 | #979 |
| 1990 | 162 | #1,090 | 167 | #785 |
| 1985 | 225 | #760 | 127 | #791 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,672 | 104 | #875 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,535 | 145 | #688 |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,598 | 148 | #677 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3,836 | 212 | #527 |
| 1960 | 14 | #3,442 | 345 | #434 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,289 | 271 | #450 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,556 | 226 | #442 |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,268 | 106 | #587 |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,495 | 102 | #587 |
| 1935 | — | — | 68 | #745 |
| 1930 | — | — | 66 | #799 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,400 | 48 | #992 |
| 1920 | — | — | 60 | #892 |
| 1915 | — | — | 59 | #786 |
| 1910 | — | — | 13 | #903 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #967 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #716 |
| 1895 | — | — | 8 | #837 |
| 1890 | — | — | 12 | #582 |
| 1885 | — | — | 14 | #512 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kirby
- Kirby Puckett Baseball player · 1960–2006
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kirby mean?
Originally Kirkby, from kirk (“church”) + -by (“habitation”), "village with a church".
How popular is the name Kirby in 2025?
Kirby ranked #3,278 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 36 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kirby?
18,495 babies have been named Kirby in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kirby most popular?
Kirby peaked in 1984, when 509 newborns received the name.
Is Kirby a boy or girl name?
Kirby is used for both: about 21% of babies named Kirby have been girls and 79% boys.
Is the name Kirby rising or falling?
Kirby has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Kirby?
Well-known people named Kirby include Kirby Puckett (baseball player).