Pippin
A diminutive masculine name of Old English/Germanic origin meaning "peaceful little adventurer".
Name Census estimates that about 109 living Americans carry the first name Pippin. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 55.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Pippin today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pippin births was 2022 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pippin. 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.
People living today
109
~ 1 in 3,144,535 Americans
Peak year
2022
17 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,628
Tracked since 2009
Gender
Gender distribution for Pippin
Pippin is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 110 total registrations, 49 (44.5%) were male and 61 (55.5%) were female.
Pippin as a male name
- Ranked #9,628 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (9 births)
Pippin as a female name
- Ranked #11,866 in 2024
- 8 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2018 (9 births)
Popularity
Pippin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pippin from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 53 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
Pippin 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 Pippin 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 Pippin
The name Pippin is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old Frankish name Pippin or Pipin, which itself is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Pipino. The name is thought to have originated in the 7th century AD, during the Merovingian dynasty of the Franks.
The name Pippin is closely associated with the Carolingian dynasty, which ruled the Frankish Empire from the late 7th to the late 9th century. One of the most notable historical figures bearing this name was Pippin the Short (714-768), the first Carolingian king of the Franks. He was the father of Charlemagne, one of the most influential rulers in European history.
Another prominent figure with the name Pippin was Pippin of Landen (580-640), a nobleman and courtier who served as the Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings. He played a significant role in establishing the power of the Carolingian dynasty.
In the realm of literature, the name Pippin appears in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel "The Lord of the Rings." Pippin, also known as Peregrin Took, was one of the main hobbit characters and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
The name Pippin has also been borne by several historical figures in various parts of Europe. Pippin I (d. 640) was the first hereditary mayor of the palace in the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia. Pippin II (635-714), also known as Pippin of Heristal, was a mayor of the palace and the founder of the Carolingian dynasty.
Pippin III (714-768), better known as Pippin the Short, was the first Carolingian king of the Franks and the father of Charlemagne. He played a crucial role in the transition from the Merovingian to the Carolingian dynasty.
While the name Pippin has its roots in the early medieval period, it has continued to be used throughout history, although with varying degrees of popularity. The name's association with the Carolingian dynasty and its prominence in literature have contributed to its enduring appeal.
People
Pippin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pippin as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pippin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pippin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 109 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pippin 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 3,144,535 US residents.
Is Pippin a common name?
We classify Pippin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 110 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pippin most popular?
The single biggest year for Pippin was 2022, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pippin is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pippin a female name?
Yes, 55.5% of people registered as Pippin 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.