Declining since 2018, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Birch since 1913
Babies named Birch per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2017, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Birch's real moment was 1913.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 22 |
| 1920s | 23 |
| 1930s | 12 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 20 |
| 1980s | 20 |
| 1990s | 26 |
| 2000s | 52 |
| 2010s | 108 |
| 2020s | 47 |
Meaning & origin
Birch is a rare nature name drawn directly from the tree, first recorded in 1913. It peaked in that same year (peak year 1913) and has been in declining use, with a trajectory of decreasing popularity since 2018 (trajectory: falling since 2018). In the latest data, the name is given to about 1 in 341,615 babies (1-in-N ratio of 341,615), placing it near the bottom of the popularity rankings. Despite its obscurity, Birch fits a modern taste for earthy, one-syllable names like Ash, Oak, and Elm, and it carries a quiet, sturdy image. It has never been recorded in any U.S. state as a top choice, remaining a truly uncommon pick for parents seeking a distinctive botanical name.
Birch is an English surname and given name derived from the Old English word 'birce', meaning the birch tree. Originally a topographic name for someone who lived near a birch tree or in a birch wood, it was adopted as a first name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the Victorian fashion for nature-inspired names.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Berch, Birche
Sibling names for Birch
Names that share Birch's style, for a brother or sister.
