Candy
Primarily a girl's name with 28,495 recorded births. Also given to 100 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A pet form of the female given name Candace or Candice.
Candy is a girl's and boy's baby name of Greek origin, a diminutive of Candace or Candice, from the ancient Meroitic title kandake meaning 'queen mother' or 'queen of the Kushite empire.' Candy emerged as a nickname that took on a sweet life of its own.
Candace appears in the Bible as the title of the Ethiopian queen whose treasurer was baptized by Philip the Evangelist. The sweet confection association — which came later — made Candy feel warm and playful. It peaked in the 1960s-70s alongside Sandy, Cindy, and Randy, and has a retro charm that some parents find endearing today.
EtymologyShow more
Candy's linguistic roots are not definitively traced to a single tradition. For names recorded as far back as 1896, the lack of a clear origin label often means the name predates modern naming databases or belongs to a tradition not yet well-cataloged in English-language references.
What the data does show: Candy has 28,495 recorded U.S. births as a girl's name, with its sharp, distinct ending ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Candy was #1798 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3758, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 182 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 624 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 1,133 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 1,273 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 3,029 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 6,887 | — |
| 1960s | 7,555 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 5,716 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 1,948 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 90 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 39 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 14 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 5 | — |
The Story of Candy
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1970, Candy is a Gen X staple. Girls named Candy are most likely born between 1960 and 1980.
How rare is Candy?
Only about 1 in every 90,000 babies born in 2024 was named Candy — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1896, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1960s with 7,555 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Candy by the numbers
- More Candys than the population of a small U.S. town
- Would fill 594 school buses
- Meeting one Candy per day would take 78.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(103 years, 1896–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 40 | #3758 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3774 |
| 2022 | 32 | #4393 |
| 2021 | 34 | #4177 |
| 2020 | 36 | #3939 |
| 2019 | 45 | #3462 |
| 2018 | 49 | #3255 |
| 2017 | 45 | #3444 |
| 2016 | 49 | #3293 |
| 2015 | 52 | #3185 |
| 2014 | 57 | #2974 |
| 2013 | 64 | #2708 |
| 2012 | 81 | #2317 |
| 2011 | 80 | #2328 |
| 2010 | 102 | #1959 |
| 2009 | 153 | #1494 |
| 2008 | 108 | #1951 |
| 2007 | 119 | #1792 |
| 2006 | 120 | #1736 |
| 2005 | 104 | #1857 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Candy as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Candy has also been given to 100 boys in the U.S. since 1934.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Candy a boy's or girl's name?
When was Candy most popular?
How popular is the name Candy?
Can Candy be used for both boys and girls?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1896–2024