Fae
Girl name · #3783 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Fae? In official American birth records, Fae has been tracked continuously since 1889, giving it 136 years of documented American history.
Fae is currently the #3783 girl name in the United States — 39 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #5833, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 46,154 girls born in 2025 was named Fae.
The 136-year story
Fae first appears in the Social Security records in 1889, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1916, when 79 girls were named Fae — good for #769 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Fae per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Fae against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Fae in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Fae is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Fae will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Fae is most common
State-level data for Fae is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Fae
Statistically, parents drawn to Fae tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nelle, Elvie, Era, Arlie, and Louie.
NelleElvieEraArlieLouieMaybelleViraOllie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Fae | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | #3780 |
| 2024 | 35 | #4114 |
| 2023 | 51 | #3181 |
| 2022 | 45 | #3470 |
| 2021 | 46 | #3390 |
| 2020 | 29 | #4548 |
| 2019 | 34 | #4162 |
| 2018 | 26 | #5007 |
| 2017 | 24 | #5338 |
| 2016 | 29 | #4734 |
| 2015 | 22 | #5833 |
| 2014 | 22 | #5797 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 20 | #6341 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9150 |
| 2010 | 12 | #9231 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13704 |
| 2008 | 5 | #17504 |
| 2007 | 7 | #13924 |
| 2006 | 8 | #12420 |
| 2005 | 6 | #14502 |
| 2002 | 5 | #15432 |
| 2000 | 8 | #10745 |
| 1997 | 5 | #13724 |
| 1988 | 5 | #11798 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Fae?
In official American birth records, the name Fae first appeared in 1889 (over 136 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Fae a popular girl name?
Fae ranked #3783 among girls in 2025 with 39 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5833.
When was the name Fae most popular?
Fae peaked in 1916, when 79 American girls received the name (ranked #769 that year). Since 1916 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Fae?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 46,154 newborn American girls was named Fae. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.