Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1923

Brownie

Gender Unisex · 59% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Brownie is a given name or a hypocorism often used in reference to the brownie of Scottish folklore.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Brownie
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1923
53 babies
All-time total
1,231
#9,295 all-time among girls
First recorded
1892
in Social Security records

Brownie popularity over time

1,231 babies have been named Brownie since 1892, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 21 – 21 2 – #1,297
1900s 49 15 64 6 +205% #1,177
1910s 191 116 307 31 +380% #1,175
1920s 253 148 401 40 +31% #1,393
1930s 133 114 247 25 -38% #1,846
1940s 55 77 132 13 -47% #3,064
1950s 19 34 53 5 -60% #4,531
1960s 6 – 6 1 -89% #5,927
1970s – – – – – –
1980s – – – – – –
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Brownie

Brownie 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 1892, 1,231 American babies have been named Brownie, about 59% girls and 41% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1923, when 53 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Brownie stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Brownie?

The median living Brownie is about 82 years old; half are between 77 and 88. An estimated 200 people named Brownie are alive in the United States today.

median 82 020406080100

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

Brownie 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 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – 8 #2,988
1950 – – – –
1945 8 #3,423 6 #3,025
1940 8 #3,249 14 #1,908
1935 10 #2,759 15 #1,847
1930 15 #2,209 12 #2,316
1925 24 #1,756 13 #2,328
1920 30 #1,475 22 #1,650
1915 29 #1,320 16 #1,798
1910 6 #2,178 5 #1,624
1905 7 #1,555 – –
1900 8 #1,452 – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Brownie?

The median living Brownie is about 82 years old. Half of all living Brownies are between 77 and 88 years old.

How many people named Brownie are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Brownie are alive in the United States, based on 1,231 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Brownie mean?

Brownie is a given name or a hypocorism often used in reference to the brownie of Scottish folklore.

How popular is the name Brownie in 2025?

Brownie 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 Brownie?

1,231 babies have been named Brownie in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Brownie most popular?

Brownie peaked in 1923, when 53 newborns received the name.

Is Brownie a boy or girl name?

Brownie is used for both: about 59% of babies named Brownie have been girls and 41% boys.

Is the name Brownie rising or falling?

Brownie has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Brownie

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

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