Bing
A Chinese given name meaning "soldier" or "ice".
Name Census estimates that about 208 living Americans carry the first name Bing. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bing today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bing births was 1938 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bing. 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 Bing is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Bings were born before 1967.
People living today
208
~ 1 in 1,647,857 Americans
Peak year
1938
17 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
2008 SSA rank
#11,228
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Bing: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bing from the 1920s through to the 2000s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 99 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bing 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 Bing 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 Bing
The given name Bing has its origins in the Chinese language, tracing back to ancient times. It is a monosyllabic word that carries a rich cultural significance, particularly within the realm of Chinese philosophy and literature.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Bing can be found in the Analects, a collection of sayings and philosophical teachings attributed to Confucius, the renowned Chinese philosopher who lived from 551 to 479 BC. In this text, the name Bing is mentioned in conjunction with the concept of virtue and moral cultivation.
The name Bing is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "冰" (bīng), which translates to "ice" or "frost." This connection to the natural world and the changing seasons may have influenced the name's adoption and its symbolic connotations.
Throughout Chinese history, several notable figures have borne the name Bing. One such individual was Bing Ji (冰紀), a prominent Daoist philosopher and alchemist who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). His writings and teachings contributed significantly to the development of Daoist thought and the pursuit of longevity.
Another historical figure associated with the name Bing was Bing Xin (冰心), a celebrated Chinese writer and poet who lived from 1900 to 1999. Her literary works, which often explored themes of modern Chinese society and women's experiences, earned her critical acclaim and a lasting legacy in Chinese literature.
In the realm of religion, the name Bing also holds significance. Bing Zhen (冰真), a Buddhist monk and scholar who lived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was renowned for his contributions to the study and preservation of Buddhist texts and teachings.
The name Bing also found its way into the annals of Chinese martial arts. Bing Xin (冰心), a skilled practitioner of the Shaolin Kung Fu tradition, was renowned for his mastery of the "Ice Heart" technique, which emphasized mental fortitude and unwavering focus in combat.
While the name Bing is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, it has also been adopted and adapted by individuals from other parts of the world, reflecting the global reach and influence of Chinese heritage.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Bing
People
Bing + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bing 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
Bing: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bing?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 208 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bing 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 1,647,857 US residents.
Is Bing a common name?
We classify Bing as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 356 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bing most popular?
The single biggest year for Bing was 1938, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bing is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bing a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bing in the SSA data are male. 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.