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At a Glance: Name: Blake – Meaning: dark/black or pale/fair — a surname with two opposite Old English roots (blæc 'black' vs blāc 'pale, shining') merged into one name – Origin: Old English (surname) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: BLAYK
Blake is a unisex name, pronounced BLAYK, that started out as an Old English surname and now carries both a bold and a timeless, classic feel. You may have heard that it simply means 'black' or 'dark' — but that's only half the story: Blake actually blends two opposite Old English roots, so it can just as easily point to 'pale' or 'fair.'
Meaning & Origin of Blake
Meaning: Dark/black or pale/fair — a surname with two opposite old english roots (blæc 'black' vs blāc 'pale, shining') merged into one name.
Origin: Old English (surname).
A common claim: Blake is widely said to simply mean 'black' or 'dark.' Actually: That's only half the story — Blake actually merges two opposite Old English roots, so it can equally mean 'pale, fair,' not just 'black.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Blake
Phonetic: BLAYK IPA: /ˈbleɪk/
Popularity of Blake
Blake hit its high point in 2012 at #71 on the SSA list, with 6,047 babies given the name that year; by 2024 it had settled to #210, with 1,457 babies named Blake.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1883–2024.
Make Blake Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Blake, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Blake mean?
Dark/black or pale/fair — a surname with two opposite old english roots (blæc ‘black’ vs blāc ‘pale, shining’) merged into one name. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Blake)
How do you pronounce Blake?
Blake is pronounced BLAYK (IPA: /ˈbleɪk/).
Is Blake a popular name right now?
Blake peaked at #71 in 2012 and is ranked #210 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1883–2024.)
📊 How popular is Blake? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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