Blanchard
A boy's name of French origin with 413 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from French; variant form Blanshard.
Blanchard is a boy's baby name of French origin, from the Old French blanc meaning 'white' or 'fair,' with the -ard suffix indicating a person characterized by that quality. It was a common Norman surname carried to England after 1066.
As a first name, Blanchard carries the dignified, old-money feel of a surname-given-name. It was used primarily in the American South and Northeast in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, where French Norman surnames were sometimes honored by passing them forward as given names.
EtymologyShow more
Blanchard first shows up in U.S. Social Security records in 1883. Names present in the earliest SSA data (which begins in 1880) were typically carried by immigrants from Europe, handed down through families, or drawn from biblical and classical sources.
Its French classification suggests a path from french linguistic traditions into American usage, though the specific route — whether through immigration, literature, or cultural exchange — would require deeper historical research.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Blanchard has 46+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1883.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 31 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 56 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 87 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 118 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 93 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 11 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 5 | — |
The Story of Blanchard
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1917, Blanchard is a name steeped in history. Boys named Blanchard are most likely born between 1907 and 1927.
How rare is Blanchard?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Blanchard is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1883, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 118 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Blanchard by the numbers
- Would fill 9 school buses
- Meeting one Blanchard per day would take 1.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(46 years, 1883–1964)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 6 | #3642 |
| 1960 | 6 | #3698 |
| 1958 | 6 | #3580 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3540 |
| 1954 | 5 | #3879 |
| 1951 | 7 | #3093 |
| 1950 | 7 | #3058 |
| 1948 | 13 | #2124 |
| 1947 | 7 | #3113 |
| 1946 | 9 | #2553 |
| 1943 | 6 | #3257 |
| 1942 | 6 | #3255 |
| 1941 | 10 | #2347 |
| 1940 | 5 | #3499 |
| 1939 | 11 | #2176 |
| 1938 | 8 | #2669 |
| 1937 | 12 | #2097 |
| 1936 | 8 | #2658 |
| 1935 | 8 | #2737 |
| 1934 | 6 | #3319 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blanchard a boy's or girl's name?
When was Blanchard most popular?
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Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1883–1964