Biff
A boy's name of American origin with 254 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A sudden, sharp blow or punch.
Biff is a boy's baby name of American origin, from the informal English word meaning 'a sharp blow' or 'a punch,' used as a nickname and given name in mid-20th century America. The name gained cultural recognition through Biff Tannen, the bully antagonist of the Back to the Future trilogy, and Biff Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
Biff is one of those quintessentially mid-century American nicknames — short, punchy, and impossible to take entirely seriously, which gives it a certain nostalgic, knowing charm.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Biff is rooted in the American tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1944 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Biff’s rarity (254 recorded births) may indicate it is strongly tied to a specific cultural community or family tradition, rather than part of the broader American naming mainstream.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Biff has 26+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1944.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7 | #4986 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 47 | #4654 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 62 | #3258 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 132 | #2232 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 6 | #3135 | — |
The Story of Biff
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1956, Biff is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Biff are most likely born between 1946 and 1966.
How rare is Biff?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Biff is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1944, peaked in the 1950s with 132 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Biff by the numbers
- Would fill 5 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(26 years, 1944–1980)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7 | #4986 |
| 1978 | 6 | #5132 |
| 1977 | 8 | #4212 |
| 1976 | 5 | #5684 |
| 1975 | 10 | #3456 |
| 1974 | 5 | #5293 |
| 1973 | 8 | #3738 |
| 1972 | 5 | #5064 |
| 1969 | 7 | #3628 |
| 1966 | 7 | #3271 |
| 1965 | 6 | #3578 |
| 1964 | 5 | #4103 |
| 1963 | 7 | #3344 |
| 1962 | 9 | #2863 |
| 1961 | 10 | #2731 |
| 1960 | 11 | #2548 |
| 1959 | 15 | #2122 |
| 1958 | 13 | #2270 |
| 1957 | 21 | #1758 |
| 1956 | 26 | #1537 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1944–1980