Holding steady.
Popularity of Burney since 1882
Babies named Burney per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1930, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Burney's real moment was 1897.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 19 |
| 1890s | 16 |
| 1900s | 35 |
| 1910s | 116 |
| 1920s | 157 |
| 1930s | 143 |
| 1940s | 149 |
| 1950s | 126 |
| 1960s | 79 |
| 1970s | 38 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Burney is a rare given name that saw its peak usage in the 1890s, with 1897 being the peak year according to U.S. Social Security data. The name has a stable trajectory with no recent revival, and it has never ranked in the top 1,000 names. Its origin is uncertain; it likely derives from an English surname meaning 'dweller at the stream' or may be a variant of Barney or Bernie. Although its usage has declined, Burney remains a distinct choice for those interested in late Victorian-era names.
Burney is likely a transferred use of the English surname Burney, which originated as a habitational name from a place in North Yorkshire, derived from Old English burna 'stream' and ēg 'island'. It may also be a variant of Barney (from Barnaby) or Bernie (from Bernard). The name saw modest use in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the 1890s.
Sibling names for Burney
Names that share Burney's style, for a brother or sister.
