Buckey
An English masculine diminutive of the name Buckingham, meaning "homestead estate of Bucca's people".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Buckey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Buckey today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Buckey births was 1949 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Buckey. 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 Buckey is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Buckeys were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Buckey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1949
5 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1949 SSA rank
#3,751
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Buckey: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Buckey 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 Buckey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Buckey
The name Buckey is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages, derived from the Gaelic word "bochdan" which means "little buck" or "young deer." It was likely used as a nickname or a term of endearment for a child or a young person with a playful or energetic demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buckey can be found in the Scottish Clan histories, where it is mentioned as a variant spelling of the surname "Buchanan." The name was particularly prevalent in the Highlands of Scotland, where the Buchanan Clan had a strong presence.
In the 16th century, a Scottish nobleman named Buckey MacDonald is mentioned in the annals of the Clan Donald. He was a prominent figure during the turbulent times of the Scottish Wars of Independence and is believed to have fought alongside Robert the Bruce.
During the 17th century, a renowned Scottish author and poet named Buckey Millar gained recognition for his works celebrating the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the valor of its people. His poems were widely circulated and helped to popularize the name among the Scottish literary circles.
In the 18th century, Buckey McPherson, a Scottish entrepreneur and trader, made a name for himself in the bustling commercial hub of Glasgow. He is credited with establishing one of the city's first successful export businesses, trading Scottish goods with the colonies in North America.
As Scottish immigrants began to settle in various parts of the world, the name Buckey traveled with them. In the 19th century, Buckey Mackenzie, a Scottish-born explorer and surveyor, gained fame for his expeditions across the rugged terrain of western Canada, mapping out vast regions and contributing to the country's cartographic heritage.
While the name Buckey has its roots in Scotland, it has been adopted and embraced by various cultures over the centuries, serving as a reminder of the rich tapestry of human history and the enduring legacy of names that transcend geographical boundaries.
People
Buckey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Buckey 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
Buckey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Buckey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Buckey 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Buckey a common name?
We classify Buckey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Buckey most popular?
The single biggest year for Buckey was 1949, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Buckey is about 83 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 Buckey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Buckey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Buckey 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.
Is Buckey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Buckey 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 Buckey 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 people have the name Buckey?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Buckey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.