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Blake Name Meaning, Origins & History

Blake

Pronunciation: BLAYK

Meaning Pale-skinned or Dark Origin surnames Gender Boy
GIRLS RANK
#295
TREND
85
BOYS RANK
#316
TREND
51
Peak Years
2012, 2013, 2011
Lowest Years
1883, 1888, 1890
Energy Archetype
Emotional & Intuitive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Blake in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Blake

  • A favorite of earlier generations: Blake appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 28 years. Its last run lasted 27 consecutive years, from 1989 through 2015.
  • More than 206 thousand babies named Blake: U.S. records list 206,594 babies given the name Blake from 1880 through 2025. Even 20,059 girls received the name Blake - about 1 girl for every 9 boys.

What Does the Name Blake Mean?

Blake is an English name taken from the surname Blake. The surname comes from Old English. The usual explanation derives it from blæc, meaning "black," used as a byname for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion. A second explanation derives it from blāc, meaning "pale" or "white," for someone with fair coloring. The two Old English words are separate, though they look alike, and the surname could arise from either as a descriptive byname. The "black" derivation is the one more commonly given; the "pale" derivation is a recognized alternative, so the literal meaning is best stated as "black" or "pale."

Blake Name History & Origins

The surname Blake is recorded in medieval England. It developed from the Old English descriptive byname and became hereditary in the later Middle Ages. Middle English forms include Blak and Blake.

The surname was carried to Ireland by English and Norman settlers. By the late medieval period, the Blake family of Galway was one of the fourteen merchant families known as the Tribes of Galway. This Galway family used the surname Blake and was prominent in the city's commercial and political life.

As a first name, Blake is a transferred use of the surname. It became a familiar given name in the United States in the 20th century, used mainly for boys but also for girls. The poet and artist William Blake (1757 - 1827) is a famous bearer of the surname; his fame is separate from the development of Blake as a given name.

How Popular is the Name Blake?

Blake recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2012. Blake ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1985 through 1985, then returned in 1989 and remained through 2015.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Blake

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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Past Favorite Boy Names: Once-Popular Names

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How the Name Blake Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Blake's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Blake's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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