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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Place name/surname meaning roughly 'white island' or 'landing place of the fair one'
- Origin
- Old English (surname)
- Gender
- Used for both boys and girls
- Pronunciation
- WIT-nee
Whitney started out as an Old English surname, roughly meaning 'white island' or 'landing place of the fair one.' It's often assumed to be a name made for girls because of singer Whitney Houston, but it was originally — and is still occasionally — given to boys too, since that female association comes from her fame rather than the name itself. If you like a surname-turned-first-name with roots that aren't locked to one gender, Whitney fits that.
Meaning & Origin of Whitney
Meaning: Place name/surname meaning roughly 'white island' or 'landing place of the fair one'.
Origin: Old English (surname).
A common claim: Popularly associated with singer Whitney Houston, sometimes assumed to be a purely feminine name. Actually: Whitney was originally, and is still occasionally, used as a male name from the surname; its strong female association comes from Whitney Houston's fame, not the name's origin.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Whitney
WIT-neeIPA /ˈwɪtni/
Popularity of Whitney
Whitney hit its peak popularity in 1986 at #32, when 9,536 babies were given the name; by 2024 it had dropped to #1050, with only 238 babies given the name that year.
Names Like Whitney
These names have followed a similar path to Whitney in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Whitney mean?
Place name/surname meaning roughly ‘white island’ or ‘landing place of the fair one’. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Whitney?
Whitney is pronounced WIT-nee (IPA: /ˈwɪtni/).
Is Whitney a popular name right now?
Whitney peaked at #32 in 1986 and is ranked #1050 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1884–2024.)
Make Whitney Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Whitney, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Whitney? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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