Whitney
Every Whitney since 1884 — 103,657 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Whitney
Whitney is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,046 in 2025 with 238 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 103,657 American babies have been named Whitney — about 94% girls and 6% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1986, when 9,781 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 Whitney stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Whitney 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 | 238 | #1,046 | 13 | #6,782 |
| 2024 | 238 | #1,051 | 13 | #6,808 |
| 2023 | 262 | #982 | 16 | #5,899 |
| 2022 | 245 | #1,047 | 16 | #5,852 |
| 2021 | 246 | #1,034 | 21 | #4,768 |
| 2020 | 273 | #941 | 11 | #7,472 |
| 2019 | 303 | #888 | 8 | #9,689 |
| 2018 | 299 | #902 | 8 | #9,626 |
| 2017 | 328 | #830 | 13 | #6,651 |
| 2016 | 375 | #761 | 12 | #7,126 |
| 2015 | 446 | #640 | 7 | #10,578 |
| 2014 | 463 | #622 | 15 | #5,982 |
| 2013 | 482 | #591 | 9 | #8,743 |
| 2012 | 523 | #562 | 5 | #14,130 |
| 2011 | 563 | #519 | 5 | #14,243 |
| 2010 | 541 | #544 | 10 | #8,104 |
| 2009 | 595 | #508 | 9 | #8,953 |
| 2008 | 543 | #570 | 8 | #9,825 |
| 2007 | 533 | #564 | 11 | #7,560 |
| 2006 | 564 | #535 | 19 | #4,853 |
| 2005 | 652 | #471 | 11 | #7,077 |
| 2004 | 676 | #450 | 24 | #3,857 |
| 2003 | 675 | #445 | 15 | #5,254 |
| 2002 | 851 | #350 | 15 | #5,121 |
| 2001 | 899 | #342 | 11 | #6,429 |
| 2000 | 1,194 | #271 | 23 | #3,633 |
| 1995 | 2,780 | #115 | 26 | #2,843 |
| 1990 | 5,905 | #60 | 77 | #1,269 |
| 1985 | 3,832 | #73 | 236 | #572 |
| 1980 | 1,169 | #219 | 141 | #740 |
| 1975 | 412 | #458 | 64 | #1,041 |
| 1970 | 351 | #539 | 79 | #904 |
| 1965 | 296 | #553 | 87 | #802 |
| 1960 | 29 | #2,194 | 52 | #1,081 |
| 1955 | 10 | #4,063 | 53 | #1,046 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,776 | 44 | #1,073 |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,381 | 44 | #970 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,955 | 50 | #902 |
| 1935 | — | — | 32 | #1,193 |
| 1930 | — | — | 46 | #1,020 |
| 1925 | — | — | 41 | #1,107 |
| 1920 | — | — | 60 | #895 |
| 1915 | — | — | 45 | #940 |
| 1910 | — | — | 11 | #1,043 |
| 1905 | — | — | 5 | #1,416 |
| 1900 | — | — | 7 | #1,157 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Whitney
- Whitney Houston Singer · 1963–2012
- Whitney Smith Politician · 1940–2016
- Whitney Thompson Model · b. 1987
- Whitney Cummings Actor · b. 1982
- Whitney Port Model · b. 1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Whitney in 2025?
Whitney ranked #1,046 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 238 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Whitney?
103,657 babies have been named Whitney in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Whitney most popular?
Whitney peaked in 1986, when 9,781 newborns received the name.
Is Whitney a boy or girl name?
Whitney is used for both: about 94% of babies named Whitney have been girls and 6% boys.
Is the name Whitney rising or falling?
Whitney is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Whitney?
Well-known people named Whitney include Whitney Houston (singer), Whitney Smith (politician), Whitney Thompson (model).