Bunk
Sweet-smelling smoke for driving away mosquitoes and other insects.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Bunk. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bunk today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bunk births was 1884 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bunk. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bunk. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1884
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1914 SSA rank
#3,317
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Bunk: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bunk from the 1880s through to the 1910s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bunk 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 Bunk 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 Bunk
The name Bunk has its roots in Old English, originating from the word "bunc" or "bunca," which referred to a rounded protuberance or lump. This name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, spanning from the 5th to the 11th centuries in what is now England.
As an Old English word, "bunc" or "bunca" was used to describe various rounded or protruding objects, such as hills, mounds, or even the human body's protrusions. Over time, it evolved into a personal name, perhaps initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for an individual with a distinctive physical feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bunk appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Bunk in the county of Somerset, indicating the name's usage during the Norman era.
Throughout the medieval period, the name Bunk remained relatively obscure, with few notable bearers documented in historical records. However, in the 16th century, a prominent figure named Bunk Uprichard emerged as a respected merchant and landowner in County Antrim, Ireland. His legacy is still remembered through the town of Bun-na-gy, derived from the Irish translation of "Bunk's Valley."
In the 17th century, Bunk Monck, a renowned English playwright and poet, gained recognition for his satirical works and contributions to the Restoration comedy genre. Born in 1638, he is often cited as one of the most influential literary figures of his time.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Bunk Johnson, an influential jazz musician, and cornet player, made a significant impact on the New Orleans jazz scene. Born in 1889, he is credited with reviving and popularizing the traditional New Orleans style of jazz during the revival movement of the 1940s.
Another notable figure bearing the name Bunk was Bunk Woodward, an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox in the early 20th century. Born in 1879, he was a talented outfielder known for his defensive skills and consistent hitting.
While the name Bunk may have faded from widespread use in more recent times, its historical roots and unique origins continue to intrigue those interested in the study of names and their meanings. The name's journey from an Old English descriptive term to a personal moniker serves as a testament to the evolving nature of language and the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped our understanding of names.
People
Bunk + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bunk 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
Bunk: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bunk?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bunk 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 - US residents.
Is Bunk a common name?
We classify Bunk as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bunk most popular?
The single biggest year for Bunk was 1884, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bunk is about 0 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 Bunk in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bunk a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bunk 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 Bunk still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bunk 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 Bunk 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 share the name Bunk?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.