Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1959

Bev

Meaning A diminutive of the female given names Beverly and Beverley Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the female given names Beverly and Beverley.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Bev
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1959
127 babies
All-time total
1,003
#7,521 all-time among girls
First recorded
1917
in Social Security records

Bev popularity over time

1,003 babies have been named Bev since 1917, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 5 5 1 – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s 123 – 123 12 – #1,999
1950s 379 – 379 38 +208% #929
1960s 480 – 480 48 +27% #993
1970s 16 – 16 2 -97% #5,587
1980s – – – – – –
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Bev

Bev is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1917, 1,003 American babies have been named Bev. Its peak came in 1959, when 127 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bev stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Bev?

The median living Bev is about 65 years old; half are between 63 and 67. An estimated 800 people named Bev are alive in the United States today.

median 65 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Bev year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 7 #6,427 – –
1965 27 #2,299 – –
1960 117 #993 – –
1955 17 #2,737 – –
1950 – – – –
1945 11 #2,754 – –
1940 5 #4,430 – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Bev

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Bev Bevan Bev Bevan British drummer (born 1944) Contemporary
  2. 2 Bev Perdue Bev Perdue Governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013 b. 1947 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Bev, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Bev?

The median living Bev is about 65 years old. Half of all living Bevs are between 63 and 67 years old.

How many people named Bev are alive today?

An estimated 800 people named Bev are alive in the United States, based on 1,003 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Bev mean?

A diminutive of the female given names Beverly and Beverley.

How popular is the name Bev in 2025?

Bev did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Bev?

1,003 babies have been named Bev in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Bev most popular?

Bev peaked in 1959, when 127 newborns received the name.

Is Bev a boy or girl name?

Bev is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Bev rising or falling?

Bev has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Bev?

Well-known people named Bev include Bev Bevan (musician), Bev Perdue (politician).

Names like Bev

Names that sound and feel close to Bev: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Bev with similar names → More names starting with B →