Total births
3,306
Girls' name · since 1951
Buffy
Buffy has 3,306 recorded births since 1951 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1972 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #13702
- among girls today
- 3,306
- born since 1951
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Buffy is the #13702 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 3,306 recorded since 1951.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Buffy has been recorded 3,306 times among girls since 1951, currently ranked #13702 nationally and more common than 23% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1951 to 2024.
- #13702 among girls today
- 3,306 born since 1951
- 1970s peak decade
- 23% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Buffy is currently the #13702 girls' name in America, more common than 23% of girls - 3,306 born since 1951, peaking in the 1970s.
- #13702
- among girls today
- 3,306
- born since 1951
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other girls
Buffy vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#13702
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 23% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
68% of everyone ever named Buffy was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
319 babies were named Buffy in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Buffy compares
3,306 Top 17% higher than 83% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Buffy's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Buffy | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,306 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 319 | 48 | 19,840 |
Buffy's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Buffy splits its recorded history at 1979: 13% of all births land in the more recent half, 87% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1951 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1972 peak of 319 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Buffy at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#13,702
Active since
1951
Buffy popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1951–2024
- Peak year (1972)
- 319
- Annual births at peak, across 74 years of records
Buffy popularity over time - boys
6 total births recorded since 1971 (Buffy as boys' name)
Buffy by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Buffy's strongest decade.
2,245 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 68% of all-time use.
Buffy births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 38
1950s
38 births
- 1960s 674
1960s
674 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,245 births
- 1980s 273
1980s
273 births
- 1990s 9
1990s
9 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s 16
2010s
16 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 2,245 births (68% of all-time use).
How Buffy compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Buffy's total volume
Buffy vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Buffy by state
Where Buffy concentrates geographically, total births since 1951
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 287 | 8.7% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 170 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 168 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 148 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Texas | | 137 | 4.1% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 109 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 107 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 104 | 3.1% |
California share of Buffy's total US births 8.7%
Even split
287 of 3,306 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Buffy appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Buffy? ▼
Since 1951, Social Security records show 3,306 babies named Buffy. Today it holds rank #13702 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1972, with 319 births.
When was Buffy most popular? ▼
Buffy was most popular in the 1970s decade with 2,245 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Buffy most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Buffy are California (287 births), Ohio (170 births), Georgia (168 births).
How long has the name Buffy been used? ▼
Records for Buffy go back to 1951, giving 74 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Buffy? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Buffie, Buffi, Buford, Buffey, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Buffy's data
- Buffy's decade-level peak was the 1970s (2,245 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Buffys (287 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Buffy
Nearby Names Like Buffy
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Buffy
Buffie Girl
869 births
Buffi Girl
194 births
Buford Girl
110 births
Buffey Girl
96 births
Buff Girl
47 births
Compare Buffy side by side: Buffy vs Buffie Buffy vs Buffi Buffy vs Buford
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Buffy
Racquel #13701
4,762 births · Peak 1970
Daena #13703
638 births · Peak 2001
Joslin #13700
1,406 births · Peak 2010
Kimmie #13704
1,278 births · Peak 1963
Sylvana #13699
817 births · Peak 2008
Teana #13705
1,000 births · Peak 1993
Joshlyn #13698
1,299 births · Peak 2008
Fayla #13706
21 births · Peak 2024
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1951–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Buffy: #13702 Girls' Name - 3,306 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/buffy. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Buffy draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.