Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1959

Debby

Meaning A diminutive of the female given name Deborah Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the female given name Deborah.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Debby
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1959
890 babies
All-time total
9,697
#1,706 all-time among girls
First recorded
1923
in Social Security records

Debby popularity over time

9,697 babies have been named Debby since 1923, 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
0.130.250.380.518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1959Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 12 1 – #3,754
1930s 96 10 +700% #2,057
1940s 750 75 +681% #581
1950s 4,460 446 +495% #309
1960s 3,354 335 -25% #372
1970s 564 56 -83% #1,085
1980s 216 22 -62% #2,623
1990s 127 13 -41% #5,107
2000s 73 7 -43% #8,713
2010s 45 5 -38% #8,758
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

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.

How old are people named Debby?

The median living Debby is about 66 years old; half are between 62 and 69. An estimated 8,300 people named Debby are alive in the United States today.

median 66 020406080100

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

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

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

  1. 1 Debby Ryan Debby Ryan American actress and singer (born 1993) Contemporary
  2. 2 Debby Boone Debby Boone American singer, author, and actress (born 1956) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Debby?

The median living Debby is about 66 years old. Half of all living Debbys are between 62 and 69 years old.

How many people named Debby are alive today?

An estimated 8,300 people named Debby are alive in the United States, based on 9,697 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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).

Names like Debby

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

Compare Debby with similar names → More names starting with D →