Declining since 1993.
Popularity of Young since 1880
Babies named Young per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1991, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Young's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 103 |
| 1890s | 0 | 66 |
| 1900s | 0 | 56 |
| 1910s | 0 | 177 |
| 1920s | 11 | 211 |
| 1930s | 22 | 158 |
| 1940s | 39 | 145 |
| 1950s | 93 | 147 |
| 1960s | 62 | 130 |
| 1970s | 85 | 233 |
| 1980s | 126 | 300 |
| 1990s | 92 | 320 |
| 2000s | 0 | 105 |
| 2010s | 0 | 69 |
| 2020s | 0 | 14 |
Meaning & origin
Young is a rare given name in modern America, but it had a brief moment in the late 19th century. Its peak year was 1880, the very first year of Social Security data, when it debuted. Since then, its trajectory has been falling, and it has not appeared on the list after 1993. The name has no recorded one-in-N frequency in recent years and no top states associated with its use. While its etymology is uncertain, the name likely originated as a surname or as an Anglicized form of a Korean name. Today, Young is almost unheard of as a first name, making it a truly unique choice.
The name Young may derive from the English surname Young, which originated as a nickname for a young person or for the younger of two individuals sharing the same given name. Alternatively, it could be a variant or anglicization of the Korean name Yeong (also spelled Young), meaning 'prosperous' or 'eternal' when written with certain hanja characters. In the United States, its use as a given name peaked in the 1880s and has since declined.
Sibling names for Young
Names that share Young's style, for a brother or sister.
