Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1971

Happy

Gender Unisex · 47% girls Rank 2025 #10,049
Rank 2025
#10,049
among boys · ↑1,373 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
17
named Happy
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1971
22 babies
All-time total
580
#10,381 all-time among boys
First recorded
1912
in Social Security records

Happy popularity over time

580 babies have been named Happy since 1912, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 5 39 44 4 – #2,392
1920s 5 39 44 4 0% #3,371
1930s – 58 58 6 +32% #1,918
1940s 5 25 30 3 -48% #2,606
1950s – 15 15 2 -50% #4,035
1960s 39 35 74 7 +393% #2,951
1970s 102 17 119 12 +61% #3,237
1980s 7 – 7 1 -94% –
1990s – – – – – –
2000s 11 11 22 2 – #11,137
2010s 41 31 72 7 +227% #9,138
2020s (to 2025) 55 40 95 16 +120% #7,714

The story of Happy

Happy is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,049 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1912, 580 American babies have been named Happy, about 53% boys and 47% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1971, when 22 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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

How old are people named Happy?

The median living Happy is about 47 years old; half are between 6 and 56. An estimated 400 people named Happy are alive in the United States today.

median 47 020406080100

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

Happy 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 10 #9,691 7 #10,049
2024 12 #8,634 6 #11,422
2023 11 #9,219 10 #7,912
2022 9 #10,678 7 #10,173
2021 8 #11,488 – –
2020 5 #15,976 10 #7,714
2019 10 #10,006 7 #10,114
2018 8 #11,804 5 #12,855
2017 8 #12,028 8 #9,138
2016 – – 6 #11,210
2015 5 #17,425 – –
2014 – – – –
2013 5 #17,525 5 #12,813
2012 5 #17,824 – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 5 #18,524 5 #13,240
2007 – – – –
2006 6 #15,812 6 #11,137
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 18 #3,678 – –
1970 11 #4,858 – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – 9 #2,951
1955 – – 5 #4,086
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – 10 #2,446
1930 – – – –
1925 – – 5 #4,506
1920 – – – –
1915 – – 6 #3,582
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Happy

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

  1. 1 Happy Rockefeller Happy Rockefeller Second Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977 1926–2015 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Happy Chandler Happy Chandler American politician and baseball commissioner (1898–1991) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Happy?

The median living Happy is about 47 years old. Half of all living Happys are between 6 and 56 years old.

How many people named Happy are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Happy are alive in the United States, based on 580 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Happy in 2025?

Happy ranked #10,049 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Happy?

580 babies have been named Happy in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Happy most popular?

Happy peaked in 1971, when 22 newborns received the name.

Is Happy a boy or girl name?

Happy is used for both: about 47% of babies named Happy have been girls and 53% boys.

Is the name Happy rising or falling?

Happy is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Happy?

Well-known people named Happy include Happy Rockefeller (companion), Happy Chandler (politician).

Names like Happy

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

Compare Happy with similar names → More names starting with H →