Where does the name Blake come from?

Blake is a boy name of Old English origin.

Is Blake a boy or a girl name?

Blake is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 9% of children given the name Blake are girls and 91% are boys.

How popular is the name Blake in 2023?

Blake ranks #221 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2012 with 6,450 babies.

How do you pronounce Blake?

Blake is pronounced BLAYK (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Blake?

Blake is also written as Blaike.

A name from Old English · Boy

Blake

From Old English blæc ('black') or blac ('pale, fair') — a nickname-surname applied to either a dark-complexioned or fair-haired person. Adopted as a given name in honor of Romantic poet William Blake.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 140-year arc in numbers.

184,157 U.S. births recorded from 1883–2023.

Popularity · 1883–2023

2,725 births in 2023

1883 1953 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BFrom Old English blæc ('black') or blac ('pale, fair') — a nickname-surname applied to either a dark-complexioned or fair-haired person. Adopted as a given name in honor of Romantic poet William Blake.

Variants & spellings

1 ways to spell "Blake".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Blaike Most common

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Blake.

B
William Blake (Romantic poet; surname)
B
Blake Shelton (country singer)
B
Blake Lively (actress)

Quick answers

People often ask about Blake.

What does the name Blake mean?: Blake means from Old English blæc ('black') or blac ('pale, fair') — a nickname-surname applied to either a dark-complexioned or fair-haired person. Adopted as a given name in honor of Romantic poet William Blake.
Where does the name Blake come from?: Blake is a boy name of Old English origin.
Is Blake a boy or a girl name?: Blake is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 9% of children given the name Blake are girls and 91% are boys.
How popular is the name Blake in 2023?: Blake ranks #221 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2012 with 6,450 babies.
How do you pronounce Blake?: Blake is pronounced BLAYK (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Blake?: Blake is also written as Blaike.

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From Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'

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From the Old English place name beofor ('beaver') + leah ('clearing'), originally a town and abbey in Yorkshire

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From the Old English brad ('broad') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'broad meadow'

Dale

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From Old English dæl meaning 'valley' — originally a surname for someone who lived in a valley

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From Old English eorl, the title of a nobleman ranking below a king — etymologically related to Old Norse jarl

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From the Middle English surname todde meaning 'fox' — a nickname applied to a cunning or fox-haired person

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.