Taffy
A girl's name of Welsh origin with 875 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A Welshman.
Taffy is a girl's baby name of Welsh origin, from the Welsh nickname for someone named David or Dafydd — Taffy being an anglicized diminutive of the Welsh Dafydd, itself from the Hebrew Dawid, meaning 'beloved.' It is traditionally associated with Wales as a national nickname.
As a given name in America, Taffy has the cheerful, unpretentious quality of a candy-colored nickname — sweet and friendly, with a distinctly Welsh heritage beneath the playful surface. Used most in the mid-20th century for girls, it has an irresistible warmth and a name that always comes with a smile.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Taffy belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their sharp, distinct ending — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.
Within the Welsh naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Welsh names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Taffy’s linguistic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Taffy has 47+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1943.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11 | #14395 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 90 | #7867 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 215 | #3612 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 273 | #2440 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 224 | #2436 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 62 | #3858 | — |
The Story of Taffy
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1962, Taffy is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Taffy are most likely born between 1952 and 1972.
How rare is Taffy?
With 875 total births on record, Taffy remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1943, peaked in the 1960s with 273 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Taffy by the numbers
- Would fill 18 school buses
- Meeting one Taffy per day would take 2.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(47 years, 1943–1996)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 6 | #13295 |
| 1994 | 5 | #15494 |
| 1989 | 7 | #10705 |
| 1988 | 5 | #13641 |
| 1986 | 7 | #9433 |
| 1985 | 8 | #8235 |
| 1984 | 11 | #6241 |
| 1983 | 10 | #6650 |
| 1982 | 12 | #5866 |
| 1981 | 13 | #5542 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4489 |
| 1979 | 10 | #6640 |
| 1978 | 20 | #3755 |
| 1977 | 15 | #4625 |
| 1976 | 19 | #3660 |
| 1975 | 28 | #2737 |
| 1974 | 32 | #2428 |
| 1973 | 20 | #3328 |
| 1972 | 28 | #2583 |
| 1971 | 24 | #2939 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taffy a boy's or girl's name?
When was Taffy most popular?
How popular is the name Taffy?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1943–1996