Cambridge

KAYM-brij · Bridge over the River Cam

Peak popularity

2016

Usually for

Girls & boys

Trend

Declining since 2015

Declining since 2015.

Popularity of Cambridge since 1992

Babies named Cambridge per year in U.S. Social Security records.

GirlsBoys

Data table (by decade)

Decade	Girls	Boys
1990s	5	0
2000s	12	15
2010s	44	47
2020s	16	18

Meaning & origin

Cambridge is a place name turned given name, first recorded in U.S. birth data in 2002. It has never entered the top 1000, remaining a rare choice. The name saw its peak usage in 2016, and has been falling in popularity since 2015. While it has not been concentrated in any particular state, its sound aligns with other surname-style and place-name choices like London and Bristol. As a modern coinage, its meaning and etymology are tied directly to the English city and university, making it a distinctive option for parents drawn to geographic or academic inspirations.

Cambridge is a place name derived from the Old English 'Granta brycg' (bridge over the Granta), later altered by Norman influence to 'Caumbrigge' and eventually 'Cambridge'. It has been used as a given name since the early 2000s, likely inspired by the prestigious university and city in England.

Nicknames & variants

Nicknames: Cam, Cami, Bridge

Sibling names for Cambridge

Names that share Cambridge's style, for a brother or sister.

Sisters: London, Paris, Savannah, Alexandria, Charlotte

Brothers: Bristol, Dallas, Austin, Camden, Grant, Oxford

Questions parents ask

What does the name Cambridge mean?

Cambridge means 'bridge over the River Cam', deriving from an Old English place name.

Is Cambridge a popular name?

Cambridge is a rare name. In the United States, it has not ranked among the top 1000 names in any year since it first appeared in 2002. Its peak popularity was in 2016.

Is Cambridge a boy or girl name?

Cambridge is unisex, though it is more commonly given to girls in recent years.