Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1971

Temple

Meaning A male given name from Latin Gender Unisex · 65% girls Rank 2025 #10,836

A male given name from Latin.

Rank 2025
#10,836
among girls · ↓1,331 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
9
named Temple
How common
1 in 178,585
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1971
104 babies
All-time total
2,396
#5,537 all-time among girls
First recorded
1884
in Social Security records

Temple popularity over time

2,396 babies have been named Temple since 1884, 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
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 5 5 10 1 – #1,161
1890s 17 – 17 2 +70% #1,372
1900s 26 – 26 3 +53% #1,625
1910s 67 113 180 18 +592% #2,122
1920s 63 125 188 19 +4% #2,716
1930s 86 113 199 20 +6% #1,905
1940s 85 93 178 18 -11% #2,522
1950s 82 86 168 17 -6% #3,254
1960s 277 98 375 38 +123% #1,420
1970s 330 55 385 39 +3% #1,264
1980s 89 38 127 13 -67% #4,306
1990s 110 16 126 13 -1% #4,945
2000s 110 35 145 15 +15% #7,411
2010s 158 35 193 19 +33% #5,581
2020s (to 2025) 63 16 79 13 -32% #6,941

The story of Temple

Temple is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,836 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1884, 2,396 American babies have been named Temple, about 65% girls and 35% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1971, when 104 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 Temple stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Temple?

The median living Temple is about 52 years old; half are between 25 and 61. An estimated 1,600 people named Temple are alive in the United States today.

median 52 020406080100

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

Temple 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 9 #10,836 – –
2024 11 #9,505 7 #10,805
2023 – – – –
2022 12 #9,007 9 #8,909
2021 17 #6,941 – –
2020 14 #7,921 – –
2019 21 #5,962 7 #10,693
2018 14 #8,121 6 #11,981
2017 15 #7,806 – –
2016 11 #10,055 5 #13,974
2015 11 #10,091 5 #13,836
2014 10 #10,883 – –
2013 24 #5,631 5 #13,846
2012 13 #9,075 – –
2011 14 #8,582 – –
2010 25 #5,581 7 #10,637
2009 11 #10,618 5 #14,285
2008 11 #10,743 5 #14,377
2007 11 #10,763 6 #12,196
2006 8 #13,507 – –
2005 12 #9,398 5 #13,163
2004 13 #8,674 9 #8,081
2003 8 #12,317 – –
2002 15 #7,411 – –
2001 8 #11,962 – –
2000 13 #7,994 5 #11,954
1995 10 #8,700 6 #8,772
1990 7 #11,298 – –
1985 6 #10,573 7 #5,708
1980 18 #4,306 – –
1975 33 #2,449 7 #4,747
1970 36 #2,237 7 #4,191
1965 26 #2,402 22 #1,716
1960 13 #3,668 – –
1955 7 #5,152 5 #4,340
1950 – – 8 #2,999
1945 8 #3,652 9 #2,562
1940 6 #4,294 10 #2,463
1935 8 #3,394 14 #2,021
1930 5 #5,176 15 #2,067
1925 5 #5,691 10 #2,912
1920 5 #5,673 15 #2,218
1915 6 #4,211 9 #2,804
1910 – – 7 #1,409
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Temple

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

  1. 1 Temple Grandin Temple Grandin American academic and autism activist (born 1947) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Temple?

The median living Temple is about 52 years old. Half of all living Temples are between 25 and 61 years old.

How many people named Temple are alive today?

An estimated 1,600 people named Temple are alive in the United States, based on 2,396 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Temple mean?

A male given name from Latin.

How popular is the name Temple in 2025?

Temple ranked #10,836 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Temple?

2,396 babies have been named Temple in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Temple most popular?

Temple peaked in 1971, when 104 newborns received the name.

Is Temple a boy or girl name?

Temple is used for both: about 65% of babies named Temple have been girls and 35% boys.

Is the name Temple rising or falling?

Temple is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Temple?

Well-known people named Temple include Temple Grandin (biologist).

Names like Temple

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

Compare Temple with similar names → More names starting with T →