Candy: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#4,576

among girls · ↓805 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Candy · -25% vs 2024

How common

1 in 53,576

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1970

1,044 babies

All-time total

28,625

#860 all-time among girls

First recorded

1896

in Social Security records

Candy popularity over time

28,625 babies have been named Candy since 1896, 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

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	5	–	5	1	–	#1,618
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	14	–	14	1	–	#2,408
1920s	39	–	39	4	+179%	#3,430
1930s	90	5	95	10	+144%	#1,959
1940s	1,948	5	1,953	195	+1956%	#352
1950s	5,716	5	5,721	572	+193%	#285
1960s	7,555	18	7,573	757	+32%	#278
1970s	6,887	34	6,921	692	-9%	#281
1980s	3,029	23	3,052	305	-56%	#481
1990s	1,273	10	1,283	128	-58%	#948
2000s	1,133	–	1,133	113	-12%	#1,494
2010s	624	–	624	62	-45%	#1,960
2020s (to 2025)	212	–	212	35	-43%	#3,771

Where Candy is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	29	0.02	outside top 500
2027	28	0.02	outside top 500
2028	28	0.02	outside top 500
2029	27	0.02	outside top 500
2030	27	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Candy

Candy is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,576 in 2025 with 30 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1896, 28,625 American babies have been named Candy. Its peak came in 1970, when 1,044 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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

How old are people named Candy?

The median living Candy is about 56 years old; half are between 46 and 65. An estimated 26 thousand people named Candy are alive in the United States today.

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

Candy 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	30	#4,576	–	–
2024	40	#3,771	–	–
2023	40	#3,778	–	–
2022	32	#4,396	–	–
2021	34	#4,179	–	–
2020	36	#3,939	–	–
2019	45	#3,463	–	–
2018	49	#3,256	–	–
2017	45	#3,444	–	–
2016	49	#3,294	–	–
2015	52	#3,186	–	–
2014	57	#2,974	–	–
2013	64	#2,708	–	–
2012	81	#2,318	–	–
2011	80	#2,328	–	–
2010	102	#1,960	–	–
2009	153	#1,494	–	–
2008	108	#1,951	–	–
2007	119	#1,792	–	–
2006	120	#1,736	–	–
2005	104	#1,857	–	–
2004	106	#1,798	–	–
2003	99	#1,861	–	–
2002	101	#1,783	–	–
2001	112	#1,629	–	–
2000	111	#1,590	–	–
1995	96	#1,579	–	–
1990	199	#948	5	#8,292
1985	241	#715	–	–
1980	438	#481	7	#5,001
1975	646	#342	7	#4,376
1970	1,044	#281	–	–
1965	709	#341	–	–
1960	827	#327	–	–
1955	495	#396	–	–
1950	272	#489	–	–
1945	198	#515	–	–
1940	15	#2,118	–	–
1935	11	#2,601	–	–
1930	7	#3,706	–	–
1925	7	#4,087	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Candy

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

1 Candy Clark American actress (born 1947) Contemporary
2 Candy Darling American actress (1944–1974) Contemporary
3 Candy Dulfer Dutch jazz and pop saxophonist (born 1969) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Candy?

The median living Candy is about 56 years old. Half of all living Candys are between 46 and 65 years old.

How many people named Candy are alive today?

An estimated 26 thousand people named Candy are alive in the United States, based on 28,625 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Candy mean?

A pet form of the female given name Candace or Candice.

How popular is the name Candy in 2025?

Candy ranked #4,576 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 30 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Candy?

28,625 babies have been named Candy in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Candy most popular?

Candy peaked in 1970, when 1,044 newborns received the name.

Is Candy a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Candy rising or falling?

Candy is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Candy become more popular?

Candy is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 27 girls named Candy in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Candy?

Well-known people named Candy include Candy Clark (actor), Candy Darling (actor), Candy Dulfer (musician).

Names like Candy

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

Compare Candy with similar names → More names starting with C →