Heather
Heather is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Refers to the evergreen heather plant, a low-growing shrub with pink, purple, or white flowers.
Origin and history
Heather is derived from the English word for the small, hardy evergreen flowering shrub native to peatlands and moorlands. It gained massive popularity as a given name in the United States during the late 20th century, peaking in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, it remains a classic, recognizable botanical name.
Popularity in the United States
525,910 babies in the United States have been named Heather since 1880. It ranks #60 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1190.
States where it is most popular
- CA (9.1 %)
- OH (5.8 %)
- PA (5.7 %)
- NY (5.5 %)
- TX (5.5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 13 |
| 1920-1930 | 27 |
| 1930-1940 | 434 |
| 1940-1950 | 1,841 |
| 1950-1960 | 5,550 |
| 1960-1970 | 32,705 |
| 1970-1980 | 203,902 |
| 1980-1990 | 191,852 |
| 1990-2000 | 71,626 |
| 2000-2010 | 13,996 |
| 2010-2019 | 2,941 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,023 |
Famous people named Heather
- Heather Locklear: Actress
- Heather Graham: Actress
- Heather Watson: Athlete, Tennis Player
Fun facts
- Heather was a top-five girl name in the United States throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s.
- The plant is famous for covering the highlands and moorlands of Scotland, where white heather is traditionally viewed as a symbol of good luck.