Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1942

Hedy

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #12,381
Rank 2025
#12,381
among girls · ↓894 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Hedy
How common
1 in 229,610
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1942
109 babies
All-time total
2,316
#4,264 all-time among girls
First recorded
1915
in Social Security records

Hedy popularity over time

2,316 babies have been named Hedy since 1915, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1941Girls

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 38 4 – #3,200
1920s 180 18 +374% #1,663
1930s 211 21 +17% #927
1940s 796 80 +277% #697
1950s 454 45 -43% #1,199
1960s 239 24 -47% #1,935
1970s 99 10 -59% #4,011
1980s 59 6 -40% #7,335
1990s 37 4 -37% #9,564
2000s 65 7 +76% #9,761
2010s 90 9 +38% #7,027
2020s (to 2025) 48 8 -11% #9,967

The story of Hedy

Hedy is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,381 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1915, 2,316 American babies have been named Hedy. Its peak came in 1942, when 109 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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

How old are people named Hedy?

The median living Hedy is about 71 years old; half are between 55 and 79. An estimated 1,500 people named Hedy are alive in the United States today.

median 71 020406080100

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

Hedy year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 7 #12,381
2024 8 #11,487
2023 8 #11,573
2022 10 #9,967
2021 8 #11,495
2020 7 #12,646
2019 14 #7,885
2018 11 #9,405
2017 12 #8,983
2016 17 #7,027
2015 9 #11,244
2014 10 #10,440
2013 – –
2012 7 #14,023
2011 5 #17,772
2010 5 #17,993
2009 – –
2008 6 #16,126
2007 9 #11,988
2006 – –
2005 9 #11,233
2004 7 #13,250
2003 9 #10,746
2002 10 #9,761
2001 9 #10,404
2000 6 #13,787
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 6 #9,732
1980 7 #8,452
1975 9 #6,131
1970 12 #4,591
1965 18 #2,971
1960 35 #1,935
1955 46 #1,501
1950 57 #1,227
1945 55 #1,053
1940 71 #851
1935 12 #2,481
1930 20 #1,836
1925 15 #2,425
1920 12 #2,801
1915 7 #3,592
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Hedy

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

  1. 1 Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr Austrian-American actress and inventor (1914–2000) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Hedy?

The median living Hedy is about 71 years old. Half of all living Hedys are between 55 and 79 years old.

How many people named Hedy are alive today?

An estimated 1,500 people named Hedy are alive in the United States, based on 2,316 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Hedy in 2025?

Hedy ranked #12,381 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Hedy?

2,316 babies have been named Hedy in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Hedy most popular?

Hedy peaked in 1942, when 109 newborns received the name.

Is Hedy a boy or girl name?

Hedy is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Hedy rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Hedy?

Well-known people named Hedy include Hedy Lamarr (actor).

Names like Hedy

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

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