Cy
A diminutive of the male given name Cyril.
Every Cy since 1902 — 3,921 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cy
Cy is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,540 in 2025 with 52 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1902, 3,921 American babies have been named Cy. Its peak came in 2010, when 117 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Cy stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cy 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 | — | — | 52 | #2,540 |
| 2024 | — | — | 60 | #2,351 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,430 | 75 | #2,015 |
| 2022 | — | — | 58 | #2,416 |
| 2021 | — | — | 45 | #2,785 |
| 2020 | — | — | 65 | #2,144 |
| 2019 | — | — | 72 | #2,023 |
| 2018 | — | — | 68 | #2,086 |
| 2017 | — | — | 45 | #2,721 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,743 | 62 | #2,186 |
| 2015 | — | — | 61 | #2,215 |
| 2014 | — | — | 71 | #2,006 |
| 2013 | — | — | 99 | #1,572 |
| 2012 | — | — | 109 | #1,479 |
| 2011 | — | — | 99 | #1,573 |
| 2010 | — | — | 117 | #1,416 |
| 2009 | — | — | 99 | #1,607 |
| 2008 | — | — | 104 | #1,545 |
| 2007 | — | — | 113 | #1,434 |
| 2006 | — | — | 105 | #1,461 |
| 2005 | 5 | #17,082 | 106 | #1,403 |
| 2004 | — | — | 88 | #1,519 |
| 2003 | — | — | 68 | #1,768 |
| 2002 | — | — | 55 | #2,003 |
| 2001 | — | — | 74 | #1,603 |
| 2000 | — | — | 80 | #1,504 |
| 1995 | — | — | 52 | #1,712 |
| 1990 | — | — | 40 | #1,909 |
| 1985 | — | — | 32 | #1,841 |
| 1980 | — | — | 38 | #1,576 |
| 1975 | — | — | 37 | #1,459 |
| 1970 | — | — | 21 | #1,948 |
| 1965 | — | — | 17 | #1,936 |
| 1960 | — | — | 23 | #1,699 |
| 1955 | — | — | 32 | #1,346 |
| 1950 | — | — | 19 | #1,710 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,429 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | 5 | #3,777 |
| 1930 | — | — | 7 | #3,360 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | 5 | #4,445 |
| 1915 | — | — | 16 | #1,806 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cy
- Cy Twombly Painter · 1928–2011
- Cy Young Baseball player · 1867–1955
- Cy Young Athlete · 1928–2017
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cy mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Cyril.
How popular is the name Cy in 2025?
Cy ranked #2,540 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 52 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cy?
3,921 babies have been named Cy in the United States since 1902, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cy most popular?
Cy peaked in 2010, when 117 newborns received the name.
Is Cy a boy or girl name?
Cy is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cy rising or falling?
Cy has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Cy?
Well-known people named Cy include Cy Twombly (painter), Cy Young (baseball player), Cy Young (athlete).