Burnie
Diminutive form of the name Bernard, derived from the Germanic name "Bernhard" meaning "brave bear".
Name Census estimates that about 311 living Americans carry the first name Burnie. It is a predominantly male name (93.4% of registrations). The average person named Burnie today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Burnie births was 1918 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Burnie. 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 Burnie is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Burnies were born before 1964.
People living today
311
~ 1 in 1,102,104 Americans
Peak year
1918
29 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
1988 SSA rank
#5,320
Tracked since 1888
Gender
Gender distribution for Burnie
Burnie leans heavily male at 93.4% of total registrations, but 62 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Burnie as a male name
- Ranked #7,424 in 1988
- 5 male births in 1988
- Peak: 1916 (26 births)
Burnie as a female name
- Ranked #5,320 in 1949
- 5 female births in 1949
- Peak: 1915 (7 births)
Popularity
Burnie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Burnie from the 1880s through to the 1980s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 207 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Burnie 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 Burnie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Burnies live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. North Carolina, Alabama, South Carolina recorded the most babies named Burnie, while South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Burnie
The name Burnie is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, where it was likely a derivative or diminutive form of the name Burnhard or Burnard. These names are thought to be derived from the Old English words "burne" meaning a stream or brook, and "hard" meaning brave or hardy, suggesting the name may have originally been given to someone who lived near a stream or was known for their bravery.
During the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th centuries, the name Burnie or its variations may have been in use, though records from this time are scarce. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, where a person named "Burnardus" is listed as a landowner in Gloucestershire.
In the Middle Ages, the name Burnie was likely used primarily in England and other parts of the British Isles, though its popularity and usage may have varied depending on the region and time period. One notable historical figure bearing the name was Sir Burnell Walter (c. 1275-1344), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Edward III.
As the centuries progressed, the name Burnie seems to have waned in popularity, but it still appeared occasionally throughout history. One example is Burnie Richardson (1791-1868), a British-born merchant and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada (now Ontario, Canada) in the early 19th century.
Another historical figure with the name was Burnie Williamson (1894-1976), an American baseball player who spent several seasons in the Major Leagues, primarily with the Boston Red Sox, during the 1920s and 1930s. While not a superstar, he had a respectable career as a utility player and was known for his defensive skills.
In more recent times, one of the most notable individuals with the name Burnie was Burnie Burnette (1920-2016), an American actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career, often playing supporting roles or serving as a comic relief character.
It is worth noting that while the name Burnie has its roots in Old English and has been used throughout history, it has never been an extremely common name, particularly in more modern times. However, its unique sound and origins have ensured that it has maintained a place, albeit a modest one, in the realm of English-language given names.
People
Burnie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Burnie 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
Burnie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Burnie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 311 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Burnie 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 1,102,104 US residents.
Is Burnie a common name?
We classify Burnie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 938 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Burnie most popular?
The single biggest year for Burnie was 1918, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Burnie is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Burnie a male name?
Yes, 93.4% of people registered as Burnie 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.