Handy: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

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	–	33	33	3	–	#672
1890s	–	26	26	3	-21%	#709
1900s	–	23	23	2	-12%	#1,009
1910s	–	95	95	10	+313%	#1,251
1920s	–	112	112	11	+18%	#2,088
1930s	–	73	73	7	-35%	#2,109
1940s	–	74	74	7	+1%	#2,047
1950s	–	50	50	5	-32%	#2,936
1960s	–	12	12	1	-76%	#3,783
1970s	–	10	10	1	-17%	#5,511
1980s	–	8	8	1	-20%	#4,686
1990s	–	5	5	1	-38%	#9,339
2000s	5	12	17	2	+240%	#9,474
2010s	–	5	5	1	-71%	#12,899
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Boys

Total

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

#672

1890s

–

-21%

#709

1900s

–

-12%

#1,009

1910s

–

+313%

#1,251

1920s

–

112

+18%

#2,088

1930s

–

-35%

#2,109

1940s

–

+1%

#2,047

1950s

–

-32%

#2,936

1960s

–

-76%

#3,783

1970s

–

-17%

#5,511

1980s

–

-20%

#4,686

1990s

–

-38%

#9,339

2000s

+240%

#9,474

2010s

–

-71%

#12,899

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Handy

Handy 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 1880, 543 American babies have been named Handy. Its peak came in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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

How old are people named Handy?

The median living Handy is about 70 years old; half are between 49 and 78. An estimated 100 people named Handy 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.

Handy 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	–	–	–	–
2016	–	–	5	#12,899
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	–	–
2010	–	–	–	–
2009	–	–	–	–
2008	–	–	–	–
2007	–	–	–	–
2006	–	–	–	–
2005	–	–	7	#9,474
2004	–	–	–	–
2003	–	–	5	#11,513
2002	–	–	–	–
2001	–	–	–	–
2000	5	#15,919	–	–
1995	–	–	–	–
1990	–	–	–	–
1985	–	–	–	–
1980	–	–	–	–
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	7	#3,309
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	12	#2,047
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	8	#2,802
1930	–	–	11	#2,510
1925	–	–	14	#2,241
1920	–	–	15	#2,173
1915	–	–	13	#2,106
1910	–	–	8	#1,251
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	5	#970

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Handy?

The median living Handy is about 70 years old. Half of all living Handys are between 49 and 78 years old.

How many people named Handy are alive today?

An estimated 100 people named Handy are alive in the United States, based on 543 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Handy in 2025?

Handy 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 Handy?

543 babies have been named Handy in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Handy most popular?

Handy peaked in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name.

Is Handy a boy or girl name?

Handy is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Handy rising or falling?

Handy has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Handy

Handy popularity over time

The story of Handy

How old are people named Handy?

Handy year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Handy