Honor
Shortened from Honoria and Honora; later also interpreted as a virtue name by Puritans.
Every Honor since 1888 — 4,604 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Honor
Honor is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,390 in 2025 with 75 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 4,604 American babies have been named Honor — about 68% girls and 32% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 247 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Honor stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Honor 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 | 75 | #2,390 | 88 | #1,814 |
| 2024 | 91 | #2,109 | 109 | #1,585 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1,970 | 112 | #1,562 |
| 2022 | 120 | #1,737 | 116 | #1,543 |
| 2021 | 117 | #1,752 | 130 | #1,414 |
| 2020 | 95 | #1,983 | 103 | #1,582 |
| 2019 | 107 | #1,878 | 104 | #1,597 |
| 2018 | 105 | #1,904 | 95 | #1,674 |
| 2017 | 106 | #1,910 | 98 | #1,625 |
| 2016 | 106 | #1,901 | 73 | #1,980 |
| 2015 | 124 | #1,707 | 46 | #2,656 |
| 2014 | 109 | #1,858 | 51 | #2,472 |
| 2013 | 134 | #1,607 | 65 | #2,077 |
| 2012 | 134 | #1,615 | 63 | #2,144 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1,989 | 48 | #2,561 |
| 2010 | 87 | #2,226 | 44 | #2,754 |
| 2009 | 103 | #2,008 | 36 | #3,185 |
| 2008 | 40 | #3,959 | 28 | #3,767 |
| 2007 | 28 | #5,149 | 11 | #7,283 |
| 2006 | 34 | #4,297 | 15 | #5,622 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,751 | 7 | #9,488 |
| 2004 | 36 | #3,932 | 6 | #10,454 |
| 2003 | 45 | #3,255 | 9 | #7,475 |
| 2002 | 42 | #3,294 | 7 | #8,804 |
| 2001 | 33 | #3,893 | — | — |
| 2000 | 40 | #3,355 | 5 | #11,028 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,790 | — | — |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,739 | — | — |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,664 | — | — |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,650 | — | — |
| 1975 | 13 | #4,681 | — | — |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,548 | — | — |
| 1965 | 12 | #3,816 | — | — |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,927 | — | — |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,524 | — | — |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,481 | — | — |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,233 | — | — |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,634 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,481 | — | — |
| 1925 | 16 | #2,325 | — | — |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,161 | — | — |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,576 | — | — |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,839 | — | — |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,471 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,055 | — | — |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,494 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Honor
- Honoré de Balzac Writer · 1799–1850
- Honoré Daumier Painter · 1808–1879
- Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau Writer · 1749–1791
- Honor Blackman Actor · 1925–2020
- Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco Politician · 1758–1819
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Honor mean?
Shortened from Honoria and Honora; later also interpreted as a virtue name by Puritans.
How popular is the name Honor in 2025?
Honor ranked #2,390 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 75 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Honor?
4,604 babies have been named Honor in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Honor most popular?
Honor peaked in 2021, when 247 newborns received the name.
Is Honor a boy or girl name?
Honor is used for both: about 68% of babies named Honor have been girls and 32% boys.
Is the name Honor rising or falling?
Honor is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Honor?
Well-known people named Honor include Honoré de Balzac (writer), Honoré Daumier (painter), Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau (writer).