Posy
A diminutive of Josephine meaning "flower" or "bouquet" of English origin.
Name Census estimates that about 99 living Americans carry the first name Posy. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Posy today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Posy births was 2023 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Posy. 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 Posy. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
99
~ 1 in 3,462,165 Americans
Peak year
2023
14 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,813
Tracked since 2014
Popularity
Posy: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Posy from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 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
Posy 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 Posy 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 Posy
The given name Posy has its origins in the English language, derived from the word "posy," which refers to a small bunch of flowers or a single flower. The name likely emerged in England during the 16th or 17th century, a time when floral names became popular.
Historically, the word "posy" has been used to describe small bouquets or nosegays, often carried as a fragrant accessory or given as a romantic gesture. It is believed that the name Posy was initially given to children as a nod to their delicate and blooming nature, much like a small bouquet of flowers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Posy can be found in the writings of William Shakespeare. In his play "Hamlet," written around 1601, a character named Ophelia mentions "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts." This reference to "pansies" is thought to be an early use of the word "posy."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Posy. One such person was Posy Simmonds, an English writer and illustrator born in 1945. She is best known for her long-running satirical comic strip "Gemma Bovery," which was later adapted into a film.
Another notable Posy was Posy Fossil, a British artist and sculptor born in 1938. She is renowned for her large-scale steel sculptures, many of which can be found in public spaces throughout the United Kingdom.
In the realm of literature, Posy Lamb was an American author and educator born in 1925. She is best remembered for her children's book "Mrs. Brice's Mice," which won the Newbery Medal in 1983.
Posy Simmonds, another English writer and illustrator, was born in 1947. She is known for her critically acclaimed graphic novels, such as "Tamara Drewe" and "Cassandra Darke," which explore themes of modern English life.
Lastly, Posy Ringdahl was a Swedish singer and actress born in 1923. She enjoyed a successful career in both film and music, and is remembered for her roles in several Swedish movies and her popular recordings from the 1940s and 1950s.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Posy throughout history, showcasing its enduring appeal and connection to the delicate beauty of flowers.
People
Posy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Posy 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
Posy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Posy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 99 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Posy 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 3,462,165 US residents.
Is Posy a common name?
We classify Posy as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 100 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Posy most popular?
The single biggest year for Posy was 2023, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Posy is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Posy a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Posy 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.