Biddie
A diminutive form of the feminine name "Bridget", meaning "strength" or "vigor".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Biddie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Biddie today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Biddie births was 1915 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Biddie. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Biddie is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Biddies were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Biddie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1915
12 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1953 SSA rank
#5,735
Tracked since 1881
Popularity
Biddie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Biddie from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1890s, with 55 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1890s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Biddie 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 Biddie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Biddie
The name Biddie has its origins in the Old English language, where it was a diminutive form of the name Bridget, derived from the Celtic word "briht," meaning "bright" or "exalted." This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in England and Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Biddie can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was also mentioned in several medieval English texts and records, suggesting its widespread use among the common people during that time.
In the 14th century, the name Biddie appeared in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the most celebrated works of English literature. The character of the "Wife of Bath" was referred to as Biddie, indicating the name's familiarity in that era.
During the Renaissance period, the name Biddie was associated with several notable figures. Biddie Watkins (1538-1612) was an English herbalist and apothecary who gained fame for her knowledge of medicinal plants and remedies. Biddie Baffin (1584-1622) was an English navigator and explorer who led expeditions to the Arctic regions and discovered several important landmarks, including Baffin Bay and Baffin Island.
In the 18th century, Biddie Clampett (1720-1786) was a British author and playwright known for her satirical works and social commentaries. Her play, "The Virtuous Housewife," was a popular comedy that explored the dynamics of marriage and gender roles in that era.
Another notable figure bearing the name Biddie was Biddie Shelton (1842-1912), an American educator and activist who played a significant role in establishing educational opportunities for women in the late 19th century. She founded the Biddie Shelton College for Women in Alabama, which became a pioneering institution for higher education for women in the Southern United States.
These examples illustrate the historical presence and varied backgrounds of individuals named Biddie, showcasing the name's enduring appeal and cultural significance across different eras and regions.
People
Biddie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Biddie 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
Biddie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Biddie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Biddie 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Biddie a common name?
We classify Biddie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 262 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Biddie most popular?
The single biggest year for Biddie was 1915, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Biddie is about 89 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Biddie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Biddie 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.
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.