Buddy
A male given name from English.
Every Buddy since 1893 — 22,585 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Buddy
Buddy is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,418 in 2025 with 23 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1893, 22,585 American babies have been named Buddy. Its peak came in 1935, when 604 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
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 Buddy stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Buddy 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 | — | — | 23 | #4,418 |
| 2024 | — | — | 29 | #3,811 |
| 2023 | — | — | 39 | #3,125 |
| 2022 | — | — | 32 | #3,549 |
| 2021 | — | — | 35 | #3,312 |
| 2020 | — | — | 24 | #4,159 |
| 2019 | — | — | 18 | #5,190 |
| 2018 | — | — | 23 | #4,381 |
| 2017 | — | — | 28 | #3,785 |
| 2016 | — | — | 30 | #3,604 |
| 2015 | — | — | 27 | #3,896 |
| 2014 | — | — | 35 | #3,163 |
| 2013 | — | — | 23 | #4,200 |
| 2012 | — | — | 38 | #3,011 |
| 2011 | — | — | 27 | #3,806 |
| 2010 | — | — | 22 | #4,382 |
| 2009 | — | — | 43 | #2,805 |
| 2008 | — | — | 28 | #3,751 |
| 2007 | — | — | 32 | #3,384 |
| 2006 | — | — | 25 | #3,904 |
| 2005 | — | — | 41 | #2,665 |
| 2004 | — | — | 37 | #2,794 |
| 2003 | — | — | 40 | #2,548 |
| 2002 | — | — | 35 | #2,696 |
| 2001 | — | — | 36 | #2,625 |
| 2000 | — | — | 40 | #2,383 |
| 1995 | — | — | 41 | #2,032 |
| 1990 | — | — | 98 | #1,074 |
| 1985 | — | — | 116 | #832 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,230 | 139 | #744 |
| 1975 | — | — | 179 | #607 |
| 1970 | — | — | 188 | #592 |
| 1965 | — | — | 259 | #483 |
| 1960 | — | — | 356 | #424 |
| 1955 | — | — | 356 | #380 |
| 1950 | — | — | 379 | #346 |
| 1945 | — | — | 322 | #332 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,437 | 448 | #264 |
| 1935 | — | — | 604 | #202 |
| 1930 | — | — | 437 | #269 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,504 | 172 | #462 |
| 1920 | — | — | 103 | #623 |
| 1915 | — | — | 64 | #753 |
| 1910 | — | — | 40 | #431 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #936 |
| 1900 | — | — | 10 | #847 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Buddy
- Buddy Holly Musician · 1936–1959
- Buddy Rich Musician · 1917–1987
- Buddy Guy Musician · b. 1936
- Buddy Bolden Musician · 1877–1931
- Buddy Rogers Wrestler · 1921–1992
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Buddy mean?
A male given name from English.
How popular is the name Buddy in 2025?
Buddy ranked #4,418 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 23 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Buddy?
22,585 babies have been named Buddy in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Buddy most popular?
Buddy peaked in 1935, when 604 newborns received the name.
Is Buddy a boy or girl name?
Buddy is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Buddy rising or falling?
Buddy is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Buddy?
Well-known people named Buddy include Buddy Holly (musician), Buddy Rich (musician), Buddy Guy (musician).