Declining since 2009, #3,712 for girls today.
Popularity of October since 1969
Babies named October per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2008, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, October's real moment was 2022.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1970s | 65 | 0 |
| 1980s | 42 | 0 |
| 1990s | 50 | 0 |
| 2000s | 247 | 0 |
| 2010s | 528 | 29 |
| 2020s | 309 | 67 |
Meaning & origin
October is a modern month name that entered U.S. usage in 1969, but has only seen notable adoption in recent decades. The name ranked 3,712th in 2025 with a 1-in-40,182 naming rate, indicating it remains rare. Its peak year was 2022, reflecting the broader 2020s trend of word and nature names. However, since 2009, the name has been on a declining trajectory. As a month name, October aligns with styles of other seasonal and celestial names like Autumn, August, and June, appealing to parents drawn to calendar-inspired choices. The name has no strong associations with any particular state or region, based on its limited usage data.
October is a month name taken directly from the English word for the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar. The name ultimately derives from the Latin 'october', from 'octo' meaning 'eight', as it was originally the eighth month in the Roman calendar. Its use as a personal name began in the late 20th century, following the modern trend of using month names, particularly for girls.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Toby, Ollie, Bebe
Sibling names for October
Names that share October's style, for a brother or sister.
