Blue

At a Glance: Name: Blue – Meaning: blue (the color); in Australian/British slang, ironically also a traditional nickname for a redhead – Origin: English (surname, Anglicized from German 'Blau' or French 'bleu, ' both meaning 'blue', reinforced by the plain English color word) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: BLOO

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Blue comes from an English surname, one that was Anglicized from the German "Blau" or French "bleu" — both of which simply mean "blue." It's often taken as a straight pull from the color word itself, and that's mostly right, but the name's path actually runs through that old surname first. As a fun aside, in Australian and British slang "Blue" has long served as an ironic nickname for someone with red hair.

Meaning & Origin of Blue

Meaning: Blue (the color); in Australian/British slang, ironically also a traditional nickname for a redhead.

Origin: English (surname, Anglicized from German 'Blau' or French 'bleu, ' both meaning 'blue', reinforced by the plain English color word).

A common claim: assumed to simply mean 'the color blue' Actually: This is mostly accurate, though the given name is thought to come from the surname Blau or bleu rather than directly from the color word. In Australian and British slang, 'Blue' is also, ironically, a traditional nickname for a redhead.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Blue

Phonetic: BLOO   IPA: /bluː/

Popularity of Blue

Blue shows up in SSA records from 1968 through 2024, peaking at #2429 back in 1969 when 13 babies were given the name. By 2024 it sat at #2594, but with 51 babies — more Blues born that year than during its old peak.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1968–2024.

Make Blue Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Blue, 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.

• Marty
• Kirk
• Rainer
• Sven
• Gigi
• Brigid

FAQ

What does the name Blue mean?

Blue (the color); in Australian/British slang, ironically also a traditional nickname for a redhead. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Blue)

How do you pronounce Blue?

Blue is pronounced BLOO (IPA: /bluː/).

Is Blue a popular name right now?

Blue is near its all-time peak (#2429 in 1969), ranked #2594 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1968–2024.)

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