Holding steady, #4,067 for girls today.
Popularity of Halsey since 1880
Babies named Halsey per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 12 |
| 1890s | 0 | 7 |
| 1900s | 0 | 15 |
| 1910s | 0 | 83 |
| 1920s | 0 | 109 |
| 1930s | 0 | 47 |
| 1940s | 0 | 55 |
| 1950s | 0 | 36 |
| 1960s | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 |
| 1980s | 54 | 16 |
| 1990s | 88 | 10 |
| 2000s | 42 | 0 |
| 2010s | 114 | 8 |
| 2020s | 245 | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Halsey first entered U.S. birth records in 1981, but for decades it remained vanishingly rare. Its modern revival is almost entirely attributable to the singer Halsey (born 1994), whose stage name was a reversal of her real surname. The name saw a sharp rise in the 2010s, peaking in 2021 at rank 4,067. As of 2025 its trajectory has stabilized, suggesting it has settled into a niche but established place in American naming. Halsey remains most concentrated in Texas, which leads the top states for the name. With a 1-in-45,922 rate, it is still an uncommon choice, appealing to parents who want a surname feel with a strong, modern pop-culture association.
Halsey is an English surname transferred to given name use. It originated as a locational name from Halsey in Suffolk or perhaps from a place called Halsway in Somerset. The components are the Old English given name 'Hal' or 'Heathol' plus 'eg' meaning 'island' or 'dry ground in a marsh'. As a first name it remained rare until the singer Halsey (born 1994) brought it into modern usage, almost exclusively for girls.
Where Halsey is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hals
Sibling names for Halsey
Names that share Halsey's style, for a brother or sister.
