Declining since 2009, #3,832 for girls today.
Popularity of Beautiful since 1997
Babies named Beautiful per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 363 |
| 2010s | 495 |
| 2020s | 257 |
Meaning & origin
Beautiful entered the U.S. baby name landscape in 1997, a modern word name that reflects a trend of abstract virtue and aspirational labels. It reached its peak popularity in 2008, then began a steady decline; by 2025 it ranked 3832nd, with just 1 in 42297 newborns receiving the name. The peak year of 2008 aligns with a period when creative and meaningful word names were gaining traction. Though never common, Beautiful has seen consistent use in Ohio and Texas, which topped its state distribution. Its trajectory since 2009 has been falling, suggesting its appeal as a distinctive choice may have waned, though it remains a literal expression of a parent's hope.
Beautiful is a modern coinage first recorded as a given name in the United States in 1997. It derives directly from the English adjective beautiful, which itself comes from the noun beauty (from Old French beaute) plus the suffix -ful. The name did not appear in historical usage as a personal name before the late 20th century and exemplifies the category of virtue-inspired names adapted directly from common vocabulary words.
Where Beautiful is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bea, Belle
Sibling names for Beautiful
Names that share Beautiful's style, for a brother or sister.
