Pollye
A feminine diminutive form of the Greek name Pauline, meaning "little".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Pollye. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pollye today is around 100 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pollye births was 1930 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pollye. 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 Pollye is about 100 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pollyes were born before 1936.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pollye. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1930
6 babies that year
Average age
100
years old
1939 SSA rank
#4,795
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Pollye: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pollye from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 17 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
Pollye 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 Pollye 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 Pollye
The given name Pollye is a variation of the ancient Greek name Paulina, which traces its roots back to the Roman family name Paulinus. Paulinus was derived from the Latin word "paulus," meaning "small" or "humble." This name gained popularity during the Roman era and was often associated with the Apostle Paul, one of the most influential figures in early Christianity.
In ancient texts and historical records, Pollye appeared as a feminine form of the name Paulinus. One notable example is Pollye Paulina, a Roman woman from the 1st century AD who was the wife of the Roman senator and historian Pliny the Younger. She is mentioned in Pliny's letters, providing a glimpse into the domestic life of the Roman elite during that time.
During the Middle Ages, the name Pollye underwent various spellings and variations across different regions of Europe. In France, it was often spelled as Pauline or Paulette, while in England, it took the form of Polly or Paulina. These variations were influenced by local dialects and linguistic changes over the centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pollye can be found in the records of the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century. Pollye de Beaumont, born around 1050, was a Norman noblewoman who accompanied her husband to England and played a significant role in the establishment of Norman rule in the region.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Pollye:
1. Pollye Adler (1900-1962), an American author and activist known for her works on feminism and social justice.
2. Pollye Whitehill (1920-2005), an American artist and ceramist who was a pioneer in the contemporary ceramic art movement.
3. Pollye Singerman (1908-1987), a Polish-born American painter and printmaker associated with the New York School of Abstract Expressionism.
4. Pollye Borden (1934-2008), an American actress and author best known for her role in the film "The Hustler" alongside Paul Newman.
5. Pollye Dameron (1904-1963), an American jazz pianist and composer who was a prominent figure in the bebop and cool jazz movements.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Pollye throughout history, each making significant contributions in their respective fields. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, it remains rooted in its ancient Greek and Roman origins, carrying a sense of humility and a connection to the early days of Christianity.
People
Pollye + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pollye 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
Pollye: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pollye?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pollye 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Pollye a common name?
We classify Pollye as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 22 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pollye most popular?
The single biggest year for Pollye was 1930, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pollye is about 100 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 Pollye in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pollye a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pollye 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.
Is Pollye still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pollye 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 Pollye 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 Pollye as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Pollye on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.