Polly
Girl name · #2299 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Polly? In official American birth records, Polly has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 79 baby girls were named Polly, placing it at #2299 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3211, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,785 girls born in 2025 was named Polly.
The 145-year story
Polly first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 41 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1964, when 688 girls were named Polly — good for #361 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 Polly per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Polly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Polly in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Polly is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Polly will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Polly is most common
State-level data for Polly 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 Polly
Statistically, parents drawn to Polly tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sally, Tracy, Penny, Cindy, and Kathy.
SallyTracyPennyCindyKathyTammyTommyWendy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Polly | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 79 | #2298 |
| 2024 | 87 | #2178 |
| 2023 | 66 | #2646 |
| 2022 | 68 | #2579 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2715 |
| 2020 | 54 | #2966 |
| 2019 | 49 | #3222 |
| 2018 | 52 | #3107 |
| 2017 | 46 | #3387 |
| 2016 | 51 | #3182 |
| 2015 | 51 | #3211 |
| 2014 | 51 | #3184 |
| 2013 | 44 | #3513 |
| 2012 | 45 | #3523 |
| 2011 | 44 | #3550 |
| 2010 | 35 | #4180 |
| 2009 | 37 | #4107 |
| 2008 | 35 | #4360 |
| 2007 | 33 | #4475 |
| 2006 | 43 | #3617 |
| 2005 | 44 | #3404 |
| 2004 | 28 | #4707 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4668 |
| 2002 | 20 | #5673 |
| 2001 | 30 | #4107 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Polly?
In official American birth records, the name Polly first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 41 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Polly a popular girl name?
Polly ranked #2299 among girls in 2025 with 79 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3211.
When was the name Polly most popular?
Polly peaked in 1964, when 688 American girls received the name (ranked #361 that year). Since 1964 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Polly?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,785 newborn American girls was named Polly. 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.