Whitney
Girl name · #1044 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Whitney ranks #1044 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 238 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #638, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,563 girls born in 2025 was named Whitney.
The 89-year story
Whitney first appears in the Social Security records in 1936, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1986, when 9,536 girls were named Whitney — good for #32 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Whitney per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Whitney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Whitney in class?
Whitney scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Whitney is most common
Geography matters for names, and Whitney is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Whitneys were TX (27), NY (22), FL (15), CA (13), MA (13). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Whitney
Statistically, parents drawn to Whitney tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Britney, Courtney, Casey, Lindsey, and Brittany.
BritneyCourtneyCaseyLindseyBrittanyLaceyTiffanyBethany
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Whitney | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 238 | #1043 |
| 2024 | 238 | #1050 |
| 2023 | 262 | #981 |
| 2022 | 245 | #1043 |
| 2021 | 246 | #1029 |
| 2020 | 273 | #941 |
| 2019 | 303 | #888 |
| 2018 | 299 | #899 |
| 2017 | 328 | #829 |
| 2016 | 375 | #760 |
| 2015 | 446 | #638 |
| 2014 | 463 | #619 |
| 2013 | 482 | #589 |
| 2012 | 523 | #561 |
| 2011 | 563 | #518 |
| 2010 | 541 | #541 |
| 2009 | 595 | #507 |
| 2008 | 543 | #567 |
| 2007 | 533 | #564 |
| 2006 | 564 | #535 |
| 2005 | 652 | #470 |
| 2004 | 676 | #450 |
| 2003 | 675 | #444 |
| 2002 | 851 | #349 |
| 2001 | 899 | #342 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Whitney a popular girl name?
Whitney ranked #1044 among girls in 2025 with 238 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #638.
When was the name Whitney most popular?
Whitney peaked in 1986, when 9,536 American girls received the name (ranked #32 that year). Since 1986 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Whitney?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,563 newborn American girls was named Whitney. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.