Total births
1,129
Girls' name · since 1914
Pollyanna
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 1,129 babies named Pollyanna, peaking in 1964. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8005
- among girls today
- 1,129
- born since 1914
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
1,129 babies have been named Pollyanna since 1914, making it today's #8005 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pollyanna has been recorded 1,129 times among girls since 1914, currently ranked #8005 nationally and more common than 55% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #8005 among girls today
- 1,129 born since 1914
- 1960s peak decade
- 55% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Pollyanna is currently the #8005 girls' name in America, more common than 55% of girls - 1,129 born since 1914, peaking in the 1960s.
- #8005
- among girls today
- 1,129
- born since 1914
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
Pollyanna vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8005
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 55% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Pollyanna was born in this single decade.
1964
Single peak year
53 babies were named Pollyanna in 1964 - its busiest year on record.
How Pollyanna compares
1,129 Top 30% higher than 70% 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
Pollyanna's all-time total is 196% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Pollyanna | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,129 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 53 | 48 | 19,840 |
Pollyanna's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Pollyanna's SSA record in two at 1969 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1935, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1964 peak of 53, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Pollyanna at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1964
Current rank
#8,005
Active since
1914
Pollyanna popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (1964)
- 53
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Pollyanna by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Pollyanna's strongest decade.
284 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Pollyanna births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 87
1910s
87 births
- 1920s
1920s
155 births
- 1930s 59
1930s
59 births
- 1940s 52
1940s
52 births
- 1950s 25
1950s
25 births
- 1960s
1960s
284 births
- 1970s
1970s
171 births
- 1980s 46
1980s
46 births
- 1990s 57
1990s
57 births
- 2000s 41
2000s
41 births
- 2010s 84
2010s
84 births
- 2020s 68
2020s
68 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 284 births (25% of all-time use).
How Pollyanna 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 Pollyanna's total volume
Pollyanna vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Pollyanna by state
Where Pollyanna concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 16 | 1.4% |
| #2 | Indiana | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Pollyanna's total US births 1.4%
Even split
16 of 1,129 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pollyanna? ▼
1,129 babies have been named Pollyanna since 1914. It currently ranks #8005 among girls. The peak year was 1964 with 53 births.
When was Pollyanna most popular? ▼
Pollyanna was most popular in the 1960s decade with 284 total births. The single peak year was 1964.
Where is Pollyanna most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pollyanna are California (16 births), Indiana (6 births), Kentucky (5 births).
How long has the name Pollyanna been used? ▼
Records for Pollyanna go back to 1914, giving 112 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Pollyanna? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Polly, Polina, Pollie, Pola, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Pollyanna's data
- Pollyanna's decade-level peak was the 1960s (284 total births); usage has since declined to 68 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Pollyannas (16 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 Pollyanna
Nearby Names Like Pollyanna
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pollyanna
Polly Girl
#2179 29,684 births
Polina Girl
#3305 1,334 births
Pollie Girl
1,265 births
Pola Girl
682 births
Pollyann Girl
166 births
Compare Pollyanna side by side: Pollyanna vs Polly Pollyanna vs Polina Pollyanna vs Pollie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Pollyanna
Marilee #8004
7,434 births · Peak 1947
Enedina #8006
2,841 births · Peak 1927
Lucielle #8003
334 births · Peak 2020
Franklin #8007
778 births · Peak 1933
Endia #8002
1,300 births · Peak 2001
Lucrezia #8008
381 births · Peak 2013
Elene #8001
1,274 births · Peak 1922
Christelle #8009
1,096 births · Peak 2010
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pollyanna: #8005 Girls' Name - 1,129 Births, Peak 1964." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pollyanna. 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 Pollyanna 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.