Banksy
An English graffiti artist's pseudonym, possibly derived from "bank" and the anti-establishment connotation.
Name Census estimates that about 31 living Americans carry the first name Banksy. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 83.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Banksy today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Banksy births was 2020 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Banksy. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Banksy with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Banksy. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
31
~ 1 in 11,056,592 Americans
Peak year
2020
12 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,233
Tracked since 2020
Gender
Gender distribution for Banksy
Banksy leans heavily female at 83.9% of total registrations, but 5 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Banksy as a male name
- Ranked #12,233 in 2020
- 5 male births in 2020
- Peak: 2020 (5 births)
Banksy as a female name
- Ranked #13,676 in 2024
- 6 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (7 births)
Popularity
Banksy: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Banksy by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Banksy during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 26 | 31 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Banksy
The given name Banksy is a relatively modern one, dating back to the late 20th century. It is not derived from any particular language or culture, but rather is believed to have originated as a pseudonym or nickname for the renowned anonymous street artist known by that moniker.
Banksy's true identity remains a closely guarded secret, and the name itself is not known to have any specific linguistic roots or historical references. It is speculated that the artist may have chosen the name as a play on words or a reference to the concept of "bank robbery," reflecting the subversive and illegal nature of street art.
While the name Banksy has gained widespread recognition in recent decades, it is not associated with any historical figures or notable individuals from the past. The earliest recorded use of the name can be traced back to the 1990s when the artist began leaving their signature graffiti works on walls and buildings in various cities around the world.
Due to the anonymous nature of the artist and the relatively recent origin of the name, there are no documented examples of individuals throughout history bearing the first name Banksy. It is primarily associated with the renowned street artist and has not been widely adopted as a given name outside of that context.
It is important to note that the lack of historical references or famous individuals sharing the name does not diminish the cultural significance and impact of Banksy's work as a street artist. The name has become synonymous with a unique form of artistic expression and social commentary, leaving an indelible mark on the contemporary art world.
People
Banksy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Banksy as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Banksy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Banksy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 31 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Banksy going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 11,056,592 US residents.
Is Banksy a common name?
We classify Banksy as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 31 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Banksy most popular?
The single biggest year for Banksy was 2020, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Banksy is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Banksy in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Banksy a female name?
Yes, 83.9% of people registered as Banksy in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Banksy still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Banksy in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Banksy can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Banksy?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.