Debby
A diminutive of the female given name Deborah.
Every Debby since 1923 — 9,697 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Debby
Debby 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 1923, 9,697 American babies have been named Debby. Its peak came in 1959, when 890 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Debby stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Debby year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,059 |
| 2015 | 5 | #17,122 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,433 |
| 2013 | 5 | #17,220 |
| 2012 | 13 | #8,758 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 7 | #13,851 |
| 2009 | 6 | #15,733 |
| 2008 | 6 | #15,902 |
| 2007 | 5 | #18,337 |
| 2006 | 8 | #12,704 |
| 2005 | 5 | #17,163 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,102 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12,745 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10,436 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13,974 |
| 2000 | 11 | #8,713 |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,949 |
| 1990 | 18 | #5,107 |
| 1985 | 21 | #3,881 |
| 1980 | 33 | #2,757 |
| 1975 | 38 | #2,205 |
| 1970 | 110 | #1,085 |
| 1965 | 262 | #591 |
| 1960 | 668 | #372 |
| 1955 | 384 | #461 |
| 1950 | 212 | #573 |
| 1945 | 36 | #1,335 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,583 |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,848 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,704 |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Debby
- Debby Ryan Actor · b. 1993
- Debby Boone Singer · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Debby mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Deborah.
How popular is the name Debby in 2025?
Debby 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 Debby?
9,697 babies have been named Debby in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Debby most popular?
Debby peaked in 1959, when 890 newborns received the name.
Is Debby a boy or girl name?
Debby is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Debby rising or falling?
Debby is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Debby?
Well-known people named Debby include Debby Ryan (actor), Debby Boone (singer).