Truly
A feminine name derived from the English word "true", implying honesty or sincerity.
Name Census estimates that about 950 living Americans carry the first name Truly. It is a predominantly female name (99.5% of registrations). The average person named Truly today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Truly births was 2022 (59 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Truly. 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
950
~ 1 in 360,794 Americans
Peak year
2022
59 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
1935 SSA rank
#3,067
Tracked since 1915
Gender
Gender distribution for Truly
Out of the 1,036 babies given the name Truly since 1880, 99.5% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Truly as a male name
- Ranked #4,106 in 1935
- 5 male births in 1935
- Peak: 1935 (5 births)
Truly as a female name
- Ranked #3,067 in 2024
- 53 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (59 births)
Popularity
Truly: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Truly from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 406 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Truly remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Truly 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 Truly during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Trulys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, California, Tennessee recorded the most babies named Truly, while North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Truly
The name Truly is an English name derived from the adverb "truly," which means "in a true manner" or "sincerely." It is a relatively modern name that gained popularity in the late 20th century, likely influenced by the increasing use of virtue names and the emphasis on values and sincerity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Truly as a given name dates back to the late 19th century. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Truly Jane Mankin, born in 1879 in Kentucky, United States. While the name was uncommon at the time, it began to gain traction in the latter half of the 20th century as parents sought unique and meaningful names for their children.
One notable historical figure with the name Truly was Truly Warner, an American educator and activist born in 1938. She played a significant role in the civil rights movement and worked tirelessly to promote equality and social justice. Another individual with this name was Truly Crankshaw, a British author and journalist who lived from 1920 to 1988 and was known for his works on Soviet history and culture.
In the realm of entertainment, Truly Donovan was an American actress and singer born in 1924. She had a successful career on stage and screen, appearing in various Broadway productions and films throughout the mid-20th century. Truly Batchelor, born in 1952, was a British artist and illustrator known for her work in children's books and her unique style.
While the name Truly is not derived from any specific culture or language, its meaning and association with sincerity and truth resonate with many parents seeking meaningful names for their children. As a relatively modern name, it has gained popularity in recent decades, reflecting the changing naming trends and the desire for unique and meaningful names.
People
Truly + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Truly as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Truly: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Truly?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 950 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Truly 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 360,794 US residents.
Is Truly a common name?
We classify Truly as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,036 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Truly most popular?
The single biggest year for Truly was 2022, when 59 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Truly is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Truly a female name?
Yes, 99.5% of people registered as Truly 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.