Polly
Girl name · #2299 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Polly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Polly in class?
Polly scores 57 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 Polly is most common
Geography matters for names, and Polly is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Pollys were CA (7), TX (6), NC (5), NY (5), OH (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 57/100 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.