Declining since 2007, #8,860 for girls today.
Popularity of Albany since 1985
Babies named Albany per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Albany's real moment was 1998.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 45 |
| 1990s | 176 |
| 2000s | 230 |
| 2010s | 213 |
| 2020s | 61 |
Meaning & origin
Albany entered the U.S. baby name charts in 1985, a modern place-name adoption inspired by the capital city of New York. Its peak came in 1998, when it ranked highest, though it has never broken into widespread use. Since 2007, the name has been in steady decline, reflecting a waning interest in city-inspired names of that era. With a 2025 rank of 8860 and a frequency of 1 in 146115 births, Albany remains an uncommon but recognizable choice. Its Scottish origins connect it to the title Duke of Albany, lending a touch of aristocratic heritage. While not associated with any top states, the name carries a geographic elegance similar to Savannah or Austin.
Albany is a place name derived from the Scottish title Duke of Albany, which itself comes from the Gaelic word 'Alba', meaning 'Scotland'. The name was adopted as a given name in the 20th century, inspired by the city of Albany, New York. It has seen modest use as a feminine name in the United States since the 1980s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Albie, Banny, Allie
Sibling names for Albany
Names that share Albany's style, for a brother or sister.
