Holding steady.
Popularity of Pansy since 1880
Babies named Pansy per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1916, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Pansy's real moment was 1898.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 316 |
| 1890s | 719 |
| 1900s | 968 |
| 1910s | 2,045 |
| 1920s | 2,361 |
| 1930s | 1,896 |
| 1940s | 1,069 |
| 1950s | 813 |
| 1960s | 474 |
| 1970s | 196 |
| 1980s | 61 |
| 1990s | 29 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 6 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Pansy is a floral name that saw its greatest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1898 its peak year, it ranked among the most popular girls' names. Since then, its usage has declined steadily, and it has not appeared in the top 1000 in decades. Most records come from the 1890s, with very few births in recent years. The name is often associated with the delicate flower and the Victorian flower-naming tradition. Although never widespread across many states, it has a nostalgic, vintage charm that appeals to parents seeking an uncommon botanical name from an earlier era.
Pansy is a floral name taken directly from the English word for the Viola tricolor hortensis flower. The flower name derives from the French pensée, meaning "thought," reflecting the flower's symbolic association with remembrance. Pansy first appeared as a given name in the late 19th century, part of a broader Victorian trend of adopting flower names for girls. It saw peak popularity in the 1890s and early 1900s, gradually declining thereafter.
Where Pansy is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Pan, Panny
Sibling names for Pansy
Names that share Pansy's style, for a brother or sister.
