Rising since 2013, #7,194 for boys today.
Popularity of Chicago since 1995
Babies named Chicago per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 | 23 |
| 2000s | 0 | 11 |
| 2010s | 6 | 17 |
| 2020s | 48 | 70 |
Meaning & origin
Chicago is a modern place name that entered the U.S. baby name charts in 1995, reflecting a trend of using city names as personal names. As of 2025, it ranks 7,194th nationally, with about 1 in 155,280 babies receiving the name that year. Its popularity has been rising steadily since 2013, peaking in 2023. The name draws on the iconic American city, known for its architecture, culture, and history, but its use as a given name remains rare and geographically dispersed, with no single state showing concentrated usage. Parents drawn to Chicago likely appreciate its bold, distinctive sound and its connection to a major urban center, following in the footsteps of other place names like Brooklyn and Dallas.
Chicago is a place name taken from the city in Illinois. The city's name itself comes from the Miami-Illinois word 'shikaakwa,' which referred to the wild garlic or ramps that grew abundantly along the shores of Lake Michigan. First recorded as a given name in 1995 in the United States, Chicago is a modern geographical name that has seen occasional use as a unisex personal name, likely inspired by the city's fame and distinctiveness.
Sibling names for Chicago
Names that share Chicago's style, for a brother or sister.
