Debby
Debby is a girl's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning
Bee.
Origin and history
Debby is a feminine name of Hebrew origin, functioning as a spelling variant of Debbie and a diminutive of Deborah. It gained notable popularity in the mid-20th century in the United States, though it is now rarely given as a formal birth name. Etymologically, it shares the biblical meaning 'bee'.
Popularity in the United States
9,697 babies in the United States have been named Debby since 1880. It ranks #1679 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- CA (13.2 %)
- NY (7.6 %)
- OH (7.3 %)
- IL (7.1 %)
- TX (5.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 12 |
| 1930-1940 | 96 |
| 1940-1950 | 750 |
| 1950-1960 | 4,460 |
| 1960-1970 | 3,354 |
| 1970-1980 | 564 |
| 1980-1990 | 216 |
| 1990-2000 | 127 |
| 2000-2010 | 73 |
| 2010-2019 | 45 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Famous people named Debby
- Debby Boone: Singer, Author
- Debby Ryan: Actress, Singer
Fun facts
- Debby developed as a popular affectionate nickname for Deborah before becoming an independent given name.
- The spelling Debby peaked in usage during the 1950s and 1960s alongside similar diminutive spellings in the U.S.