Judy
Girl name · #1874 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Judy? In official American birth records, Judy has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Judy ranks #1874 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 105 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1437, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,143 girls born in 2025 was named Judy.
The 145-year story
Judy first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 21,037 girls were named Judy — good for #14 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 Judy per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Judy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Judy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Judy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Judy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Judy is most common
State-level data for Judy 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 Judy
Statistically, parents drawn to Judy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Trudy, Cindy, Joanne, Janice, and Nancy.
TrudyCindyJoanneJaniceNancyJanetCarolSally
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Judy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 105 | #1872 |
| 2024 | 125 | #1648 |
| 2023 | 129 | #1614 |
| 2022 | 122 | #1710 |
| 2021 | 123 | #1680 |
| 2020 | 133 | #1578 |
| 2019 | 148 | #1483 |
| 2018 | 144 | #1512 |
| 2017 | 134 | #1614 |
| 2016 | 147 | #1534 |
| 2015 | 160 | #1437 |
| 2014 | 146 | #1510 |
| 2013 | 153 | #1457 |
| 2012 | 120 | #1719 |
| 2011 | 94 | #2058 |
| 2010 | 123 | #1703 |
| 2009 | 111 | #1889 |
| 2008 | 118 | #1824 |
| 2007 | 144 | #1570 |
| 2006 | 127 | #1664 |
| 2005 | 146 | #1451 |
| 2004 | 167 | #1278 |
| 2003 | 158 | #1308 |
| 2002 | 163 | #1228 |
| 2001 | 157 | #1253 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Judy?
In official American birth records, the name Judy first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Judy a popular girl name?
Judy ranked #1874 among girls in 2025 with 105 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1437.
When was the name Judy most popular?
Judy peaked in 1947, when 21,037 American girls received the name (ranked #14 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Judy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,143 newborn American girls was named Judy. 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.