Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1980

Cheyne

Meaning oak Gender Unisex · 11% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Of Anglo-Norman origin, ultimately from Old French chesne (“oak”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Cheyne
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1980
81 babies
All-time total
1,025
#5,460 all-time among boys
First recorded
1971
in Social Security records

Cheyne popularity over time

1,025 babies have been named Cheyne since 1971, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 32 32 3 – #2,795
1980s 28 429 457 46 +1328% #1,080
1990s 45 302 347 35 -24% #1,362
2000s 42 120 162 16 -53% #3,933
2010s – 27 27 3 -83% #11,025
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Cheyne

Cheyne 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 1971, 1,025 American babies have been named Cheyne, about 89% boys and 11% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1980, when 81 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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

How old are people named Cheyne?

The median living Cheyne is about 35 years old; half are between 28 and 41. An estimated 1,000 people named Cheyne are alive in the United States today.

median 35 020406080100

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

Cheyne 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 – – 6 #11,025
2016 – – 5 #12,542
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – 5 #12,477
2012 – – 6 #11,039
2011 – – 5 #12,616
2010 – – – –
2009 – – 8 #9,130
2008 – – – –
2007 5 #18,212 14 #5,962
2006 – – 8 #8,866
2005 7 #13,311 9 #7,742
2004 5 #16,646 12 #6,201
2003 15 #7,292 16 #4,853
2002 – – 21 #3,933
2001 – – 17 #4,511
2000 10 #9,309 15 #4,817
1995 6 #12,082 21 #3,207
1990 – – 67 #1,362
1985 – – 38 #1,647
1980 11 #5,984 70 #1,080
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Cheyne?

The median living Cheyne is about 35 years old. Half of all living Cheynes are between 28 and 41 years old.

How many people named Cheyne are alive today?

An estimated 1,000 people named Cheyne are alive in the United States, based on 1,025 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Cheyne mean?

Of Anglo-Norman origin, ultimately from Old French chesne (“oak”).

How popular is the name Cheyne in 2025?

Cheyne 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 Cheyne?

1,025 babies have been named Cheyne in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Cheyne most popular?

Cheyne peaked in 1980, when 81 newborns received the name.

Is Cheyne a boy or girl name?

Cheyne is used for both: about 11% of babies named Cheyne have been girls and 89% boys.

Is the name Cheyne rising or falling?

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

Names like Cheyne

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

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