Skipp
A diminutive of the Germanic name Skipper, itself a surname-based name.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Skipp. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Skipp today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Skipp births was 1981 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Skipp. 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 Skipp. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1981
6 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1981 SSA rank
#6,144
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Skipp: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Skipp 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 Skipp during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Skipp
The given name Skipp is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "scyppan," which means "to shape" or "to create." This name was prevalent among the Anglo-Saxon communities in England during the early medieval period, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skipp can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this historical record, a landowner named Skipp is mentioned as holding property in the county of Oxfordshire.
The name Skipp gained popularity among the English nobility and aristocracy during the Middle Ages. Notable historical figures bearing this name include Sir Skipp de Warenne, a renowned knight who fought alongside King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.
In the realm of literature, the name Skipp appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's famous work "The Canterbury Tales," written in the late 14th century. One of the pilgrims in the tales is referred to as "Skipp the Miller," a character known for his wit and charm.
During the Renaissance period, the name Skipp was associated with artisans and craftsmen, reflecting its etymological connection to the act of "shaping" or "creating." One such individual was Skipp Holbein, a skilled woodcarver who worked on the intricate decorations of Hampton Court Palace in the early 16th century.
Another notable figure with the name Skipp was Captain Skipp Hawkins, an English seafarer and explorer who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his circumnavigation of the globe in the late 16th century. Hawkins played a crucial role in navigating the treacherous waters and establishing trade routes for the British Empire.
In the 17th century, the name Skipp gained religious significance with the rise of the Puritans in England. One of the prominent Puritan ministers was Skipp Winthrop, who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 and played a pivotal role in shaping the religious and cultural landscape of the New England colonies.
While the name Skipp may not be as common in modern times, it continues to carry a rich historical legacy, reflecting the craftsmanship, adventurous spirit, and religious devotion of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.
People
Skipp + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Skipp as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Skipp: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Skipp?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Skipp 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Skipp a common name?
We classify Skipp as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Skipp most popular?
The single biggest year for Skipp was 1981, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Skipp is about 43 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 Skipp in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Skipp a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Skipp 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.
Is Skipp still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Skipp 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 Skipp 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 Skipp as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Skipp on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.