Polly: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,318

among girls · ↓125 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Polly · -9% vs 2024

How common

1 in 20,345

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1964

688 babies

All-time total

29,708

#840 all-time among girls

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Polly popularity over time

29,708 babies have been named Polly since 1880, 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

GirlsBoys

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	476	–	476	48	–	#225
1890s	661	–	661	66	+39%	#317
1900s	753	–	753	75	+14%	#367
1910s	1,919	5	1,924	192	+156%	#373
1920s	3,324	8	3,332	333	+73%	#326
1930s	3,864	11	3,875	388	+16%	#297
1940s	4,301	–	4,301	430	+11%	#313
1950s	5,068	–	5,068	507	+18%	#360
1960s	5,030	–	5,030	503	-1%	#361
1970s	1,967	–	1,967	197	-61%	#571
1980s	689	–	689	69	-65%	#1,235
1990s	425	–	425	43	-38%	#2,153
2000s	322	–	322	32	-24%	#3,449
2010s	468	–	468	47	+45%	#3,147
2020s (to 2025)	417	–	417	70	+49%	#2,193

Where Polly is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	85	0.05	outside top 500
2027	90	0.06	outside top 500
2028	95	0.06	outside top 500
2029	99	0.06	outside top 500
2030	103	0.06	outside top 500

The story of Polly

Polly is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,318 in 2025 with 79 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 29,708 American babies have been named Polly. Its peak came in 1964, when 688 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Polly?

The median living Polly is about 65 years old; half are between 56 and 75. An estimated 17 thousand people named Polly 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.

Polly 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	79	#2,318	–	–
2024	87	#2,193	–	–
2023	66	#2,668	–	–
2022	68	#2,597	–	–
2021	63	#2,745	–	–
2020	54	#3,001	–	–
2019	49	#3,262	–	–
2018	52	#3,147	–	–
2017	46	#3,426	–	–
2016	51	#3,214	–	–
2015	51	#3,244	–	–
2014	51	#3,218	–	–
2013	44	#3,561	–	–
2012	45	#3,568	–	–
2011	44	#3,591	–	–
2010	35	#4,280	–	–
2009	37	#4,169	–	–
2008	35	#4,430	–	–
2007	33	#4,542	–	–
2006	43	#3,663	–	–
2005	44	#3,449	–	–
2004	28	#4,788	–	–
2003	27	#4,783	–	–
2002	20	#5,845	–	–
2001	30	#4,176	–	–
2000	25	#4,754	–	–
1995	39	#3,006	–	–
1990	55	#2,308	–	–
1985	66	#1,736	–	–
1980	107	#1,235	–	–
1975	155	#867	–	–
1970	297	#593	–	–
1965	447	#453	–	–
1960	610	#384	–	–
1955	588	#360	–	–
1950	463	#374	–	–
1945	398	#343	–	–
1940	416	#313	–	–
1935	377	#324	–	–
1930	373	#335	5	#4,427
1925	320	#380	–	–
1920	289	#386	–	–
1915	209	#417	–	–
1910	110	#373	–	–
1905	71	#404	–	–
1900	78	#379	–	–
1895	76	#329	–	–
1890	57	#341	–	–
1885	43	#311	–	–
1880	41	#245	–	–

Famous people named Polly

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

1 Polly Walker English actress (born 1966) Contemporary
2 Polly Holliday American actress (1937–2025) Contemporary
3 Polly Draper American actress b. 1955 · Contemporary
4 Polly Samson English writer b. 1962 · Contemporary
5 Polly Bergen American actress (1930–2014) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Polly?

The median living Polly is about 65 years old. Half of all living Pollys are between 56 and 75 years old.

How many people named Polly are alive today?

An estimated 17 thousand people named Polly are alive in the United States, based on 29,708 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Polly mean?

A female given name from Hebrew.

How popular is the name Polly in 2025?

Polly ranked #2,318 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 79 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Polly?

29,708 babies have been named Polly in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Polly most popular?

Polly peaked in 1964, when 688 newborns received the name.

Is Polly a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Polly rising or falling?

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

Will Polly become more popular?

Polly is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 103 girls named Polly in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Polly?

Well-known people named Polly include Polly Walker (actor), Polly Holliday (actor), Polly Draper (actor).

Names like Polly

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

Compare Polly with similar names → More names starting with P →