Temple
A male given name from Latin.
Every Temple since 1884 — 2,396 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Temple
Temple is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,836 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 2,396 American babies have been named Temple — about 65% girls and 35% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1971, when 104 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Temple stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Temple 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 | 9 | #10,836 | — | — |
| 2024 | 11 | #9,505 | 7 | #10,805 |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 12 | #9,007 | 9 | #8,909 |
| 2021 | 17 | #6,941 | — | — |
| 2020 | 14 | #7,921 | — | — |
| 2019 | 21 | #5,962 | 7 | #10,693 |
| 2018 | 14 | #8,121 | 6 | #11,981 |
| 2017 | 15 | #7,806 | — | — |
| 2016 | 11 | #10,055 | 5 | #13,974 |
| 2015 | 11 | #10,091 | 5 | #13,836 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,883 | — | — |
| 2013 | 24 | #5,631 | 5 | #13,846 |
| 2012 | 13 | #9,075 | — | — |
| 2011 | 14 | #8,582 | — | — |
| 2010 | 25 | #5,581 | 7 | #10,637 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,618 | 5 | #14,285 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,743 | 5 | #14,377 |
| 2007 | 11 | #10,763 | 6 | #12,196 |
| 2006 | 8 | #13,507 | — | — |
| 2005 | 12 | #9,398 | 5 | #13,163 |
| 2004 | 13 | #8,674 | 9 | #8,081 |
| 2003 | 8 | #12,317 | — | — |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,411 | — | — |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,962 | — | — |
| 2000 | 13 | #7,994 | 5 | #11,954 |
| 1995 | 10 | #8,700 | 6 | #8,772 |
| 1990 | 7 | #11,298 | — | — |
| 1985 | 6 | #10,573 | 7 | #5,708 |
| 1980 | 18 | #4,306 | — | — |
| 1975 | 33 | #2,449 | 7 | #4,747 |
| 1970 | 36 | #2,237 | 7 | #4,191 |
| 1965 | 26 | #2,402 | 22 | #1,716 |
| 1960 | 13 | #3,668 | — | — |
| 1955 | 7 | #5,152 | 5 | #4,340 |
| 1950 | — | — | 8 | #2,999 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,652 | 9 | #2,562 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,294 | 10 | #2,463 |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,394 | 14 | #2,021 |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,176 | 15 | #2,067 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,691 | 10 | #2,912 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,673 | 15 | #2,218 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,211 | 9 | #2,804 |
| 1910 | — | — | 7 | #1,409 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Temple
- Temple Grandin Biologist · b. 1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Temple mean?
A male given name from Latin.
How popular is the name Temple in 2025?
Temple ranked #10,836 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Temple?
2,396 babies have been named Temple in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Temple most popular?
Temple peaked in 1971, when 104 newborns received the name.
Is Temple a boy or girl name?
Temple is used for both: about 65% of babies named Temple have been girls and 35% boys.
Is the name Temple rising or falling?
Temple is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Temple?
Well-known people named Temple include Temple Grandin (biologist).