girls' name · peaked 1957

Peg

A female given name. Diminutive of Margaret.

Every Peg since 1913 — 841 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1957Girls
Rank 2025
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Peg
Peak year
1957
43 babies
All-time total
841
since 1913

The story of Peg

Peg 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 1913, 841 American babies have been named Peg. Its peak came in 1957, when 43 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 Peg stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Peg 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
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
1975
1970
1965 10 #4,430
1960 30 #2,136
1955 29 #2,009
1950 21 #2,173
1945 20 #1,931
1940 23 #1,674
1935 15 #2,191
1930
1925
1920
1915
1910
1905
1900
1895
1890
1885
1880

Famous people named Peg

  1. Peg Entwistle Actor · 1908–1932

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Peg mean?

A female given name. Diminutive of Margaret.

How popular is the name Peg in 2025?

Peg 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 Peg?

841 babies have been named Peg in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Peg most popular?

Peg peaked in 1957, when 43 newborns received the name.

Is Peg a boy or girl name?

Peg is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Peg rising or falling?

Peg has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Peg?

Well-known people named Peg include Peg Entwistle (actor).

Names like Peg

Compare Peg with similar names →