Pollyann
An optimistic girl or woman, from the classic American novel "Pollyanna".
Name Census estimates that about 86 living Americans carry the first name Pollyann. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pollyann today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pollyann births was 1948 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pollyann. 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 Pollyann is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pollyanns were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pollyann. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
86
~ 1 in 3,985,516 Americans
Peak year
1948
11 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1973 SSA rank
#7,214
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Pollyann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pollyann from the 1920s through to the 1970s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 50 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pollyann 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 Pollyann 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 Pollyann
The name Pollyann is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the combination of the names Polly and Ann. It first emerged in the early 20th century, likely inspired by the literary character Pollyanna from the 1913 novel of the same name by American author Eleanor H. Porter.
The name Polly is a diminutive form of the name Mary, which has its roots in the ancient Hebrew name Miryam. Ann, on the other hand, is a variant of the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favor." When combined, Pollyann carries the connotation of being a cheerful, optimistic, and graceful individual.
The earliest recorded use of the name Pollyann can be traced back to the 1910s, shortly after the publication of Porter's novel. The titular character, Pollyanna Whittier, embodied an unwavering positive attitude and became a cultural icon, inspiring the term "Pollyannaish" to describe someone with an unrealistically optimistic outlook.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Pollyann was Pollyann Woodward (1932-2019), an American actress known for her roles in television series such as Bewitched and The Waltons. She was born in Huron, South Dakota, and had a career spanning over six decades.
Another prominent figure with the name was Pollyann Holbrook (1938-2020), an American actress and poet. She was best known for her portrayal of Flo Castleberry on the television series Alice, for which she received multiple Emmy nominations.
In the literary world, Pollyann Stratton (born 1940) is an Australian author and poet. She has published numerous works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and has been recognized with several literary awards throughout her career.
Pollyann Turner (born 1956) is a British artist and sculptor, known for her large-scale public artworks and installations. Her works often explore themes of nature, the environment, and the human condition.
Pollyann Buchan (born 1966) is a Scottish businesswoman and entrepreneur. She co-founded the successful online fashion retailer, Boden, and has been recognized for her contributions to the fashion industry and entrepreneurship.
While the name Pollyann may not be as common as it once was, it continues to hold a unique and enduring charm, reflecting the spirit of optimism and grace that its literary origins embodied.
People
Pollyann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pollyann 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
Pollyann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pollyann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 86 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pollyann 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 3,985,516 US residents.
Is Pollyann a common name?
We classify Pollyann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 166 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pollyann most popular?
The single biggest year for Pollyann was 1948, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pollyann is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pollyann a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pollyann 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.