Declining since 2016, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Addis since 1909
Babies named Addis per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Addis's real moment was 1912.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 7 | 0 |
| 1910s | 37 | 60 |
| 1920s | 32 | 76 |
| 1930s | 17 | 40 |
| 1940s | 0 | 39 |
| 1950s | 0 | 18 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 | 14 |
| 1990s | 10 | 18 |
| 2000s | 31 | 44 |
| 2010s | 18 | 84 |
| 2020s | 0 | 40 |
Meaning & origin
Addis is a rare unisex name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1912, the same year it reached its peak rank of 8910. Since 2016, its usage has been falling, and it currently remains a highly uncommon choice, given to roughly 1 in every 213,510 newborns in 2025. The name's origins are uncertain, with possible ties to the Ethiopian capital or a Scottish surname. Its similarity to the more common Addison may appeal to parents seeking a shorter, distinctive variant.
Addis is a name that gained some use in the United States starting in the 1910s, possibly inspired by the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa (meaning 'new flower' in Amharic) or as a variant of the Scottish surname Addis, which itself derives from Adam. The name saw a brief peak in 1912 but has since fallen out of common use. It remained unisex in official records.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Addy
Sibling names for Addis
Names that share Addis's style, for a brother or sister.
