Fun Facts About the Name Heather
- An established favorite: Heather held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1967 through 1998.
- More than 527 thousand babies named Heather: U.S. records list 527,387 babies given the name Heather from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,477 boys received the name Heather - about 1 boy for every 356 girls.
What Does the Name Heather Mean?
Heather is an English given name taken from heather, the common English word for the low evergreen shrub of moors and heaths. The plant name is recorded in Middle English in forms such as hather. Its deeper origin is uncertain; it is often connected with Old English hǣð ('heath'), but the exact relationship between the two words is not settled. The given name has no separate translation beyond the plant: it denotes the shrub itself. Later associations with Scottish moors, with the plant's purple-pink flowers, or with the color called heather are symbolic or secondary, not the name's etymology.
Heather Name History & Origins
As a personal name, Heather belongs to the modern period. It came into use in the 19th century, when English speakers adopted a number of plant and flower names. Because heather grows widely on Scottish and northern English moors, the name has a traditional association with those regions. It is used in English-speaking countries, and its Scottish association remains the strongest cultural link.
The name is not from a saint, a biblical figure, or an ancient Germanic name. It is a direct borrowing from the plant word into personal use. Later literary and popular appearances are uses of an already established name rather than the source of it.
How Popular is the Name Heather?
Heather remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1967 to 1998. Its highest annual birth count was in 1975, and people born that year turn 51 in 2026.
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.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,264 | 177 | 0.0110% |
| 2024 | #1,352 | 168 | 0.0104% |
| 2023 | #1,326 | 171 | 0.0107% |
| 2022 | #1,309 | 180 | 0.0110% |
| 2021 | #1,307 | 173 | 0.0106% |
| 2020 | #1,443 | 151 | 0.0093% |
| 2019 | #1,387 | 162 | 0.0097% |
| 2018 | #1,152 | 211 | 0.0124% |
| 2017 | #1,126 | 223 | 0.0129% |
| 2016 | #977 | 274 | 0.0155% |
| 2015 | #965 | 281 | 0.0157% |
| 2014 | #837 | 331 | 0.0185% |
| 2013 | #835 | 316 | 0.0180% |
| 2012 | #812 | 330 | 0.0187% |
| 2011 | #711 | 391 | 0.0222% |
| 2010 | #682 | 421 | 0.0237% |
| 2009 | #548 | 555 | 0.0302% |
| 2008 | #484 | 654 | 0.0346% |
| 2007 | #408 | 799 | 0.0416% |
| 2006 | #339 | 974 | 0.0512% |
| 2005 | #300 | 1,067 | 0.0577% |
| 2004 | #244 | 1,304 | 0.0710% |
| 2003 | #206 | 1,617 | 0.0885% |
| 2002 | #159 | 2,068 | 0.1151% |
| 2001 | #146 | 2,274 | 0.1263% |
| 2000 | #125 | 2,684 | 0.1478% |
| 1999 | #112 | 2,887 | 0.1628% |
| 1998 | #99 | 3,397 | 0.1923% |
| 1997 | #90 | 3,767 | 0.2164% |
| 1996 | #71 | 4,759 | 0.2715% |
| 1995 | #54 | 6,032 | 0.3430% |
| 1994 | #44 | 7,033 | 0.3938% |
| 1993 | #38 | 8,103 | 0.4479% |
| 1992 | #31 | 9,724 | 0.5274% |
| 1991 | #23 | 11,703 | 0.6242% |
| 1990 | #19 | 14,220 | 0.7490% |
| 1989 | #15 | 16,248 | 0.8813% |
| 1988 | #14 | 18,033 | 1.0126% |
| 1987 | #9 | 18,982 | 1.0918% |
| 1986 | #9 | 19,789 | 1.1535% |
| 1985 | #8 | 21,152 | 1.2292% |
| 1984 | #9 | 21,489 | 1.2762% |
| 1983 | #9 | 20,747 | 1.2418% |
| 1982 | #12 | 17,495 | 1.0332% |
| 1981 | #10 | 17,946 | 1.0759% |
| 1980 | #6 | 19,973 | 1.2029% |
| 1979 | #7 | 20,834 | 1.2978% |
| 1978 | #5 | 22,270 | 1.4538% |
| 1977 | #5 | 23,773 | 1.5506% |
| 1976 | #4 | 24,192 | 1.6512% |
| 1975 | #3 | 24,302 | 1.6669% |
| 1974 | #4 | 23,180 | 1.5795% |
| 1973 | #8 | 19,346 | 1.3267% |
| 1972 | #9 | 16,320 | 1.0728% |
| 1971 | #12 | 15,019 | 0.9027% |
| 1970 | #19 | 14,670 | 0.8392% |
| 1969 | #34 | 10,068 | 0.5968% |
| 1968 | #62 | 5,501 | 0.3354% |
| 1967 | #87 | 3,904 | 0.2365% |
| 1966 | #125 | 2,897 | 0.1712% |
| 1965 | #149 | 2,499 | 0.1416% |
| 1964 | #160 | 2,385 | 0.1259% |
| 1963 | #183 | 2,090 | 0.1084% |
| 1962 | #247 | 1,283 | 0.0652% |
| 1961 | #276 | 1,105 | 0.0547% |
| 1960 | #298 | 971 | 0.0480% |
| 1959 | #302 | 911 | 0.0450% |
| 1958 | #344 | 732 | 0.0364% |
| 1957 | #354 | 663 | 0.0324% |
| 1956 | #342 | 662 | 0.0330% |
| 1955 | #347 | 616 | 0.0315% |
| 1954 | #375 | 541 | 0.0279% |
| 1953 | #419 | 427 | 0.0227% |
| 1952 | #440 | 381 | 0.0205% |
| 1951 | #473 | 308 | 0.0171% |
| 1950 | #461 | 310 | 0.0181% |
| 1949 | #519 | 249 | 0.0146% |
| 1948 | #568 | 215 | 0.0127% |
| 1947 | #499 | 272 | 0.0153% |
| 1946 | #512 | 237 | 0.0151% |
| 1945 | #554 | 175 | 0.0134% |
| 1944 | #645 | 131 | 0.0099% |
| 1943 | #585 | 166 | 0.0119% |
| 1942 | #587 | 159 | 0.0118% |
| 1941 | #617 | 131 | 0.0108% |
| 1940 | #673 | 106 | 0.0093% |
| 1939 | #701 | 94 | 0.0086% |
| 1938 | #808 | 76 | 0.0069% |
| 1937 | #969 | 52 | 0.0049% |
| 1936 | #959 | 52 | 0.0050% |
| 1935 | #870 | 63 | 0.0060% |
| 1934 | #1,109 | 41 | 0.0039% |
| 1933 | #1,322 | 30 | 0.0030% |
| 1932 | #2,721 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1931 | #3,648 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #3,477 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #3,244 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1923 | #3,768 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #5,337 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1920 | #5,302 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1917 | #4,908 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1914 | #2,743 | 8 | 0.0011% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | #13,044 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1999 | #9,124 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #7,887 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,812 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #6,175 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #4,128 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1994 | #7,253 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #3,720 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1992 | #3,816 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #2,705 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1990 | #2,729 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #1,427 | 59 | 0.0029% |
| 1988 | #1,362 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 1987 | #1,241 | 62 | 0.0033% |
| 1986 | #1,178 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 1985 | #1,113 | 70 | 0.0038% |
| 1984 | #1,004 | 79 | 0.0044% |
| 1983 | #1,063 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 1982 | #1,403 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 1981 | #1,347 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 1980 | #1,032 | 77 | 0.0043% |
| 1979 | #1,031 | 74 | 0.0043% |
| 1978 | #1,035 | 71 | 0.0043% |
| 1977 | #995 | 75 | 0.0046% |
| 1976 | #924 | 82 | 0.0052% |
| 1975 | #1,024 | 65 | 0.0042% |
| 1974 | #930 | 77 | 0.0049% |
| 1973 | #1,210 | 47 | 0.0030% |
| 1972 | #1,065 | 58 | 0.0036% |
| 1971 | #1,339 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1970 | #1,270 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1969 | #1,581 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1968 | #2,814 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,670 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,090 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #3,376 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #4,281 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,440 | 7 | 0.0003% |
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 Heather
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.
Most Popular Girl Names at All Time
Established Favorite Girl Names
Explore More Lists with Name Heather
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with H
How the Name Heather Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Heather's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Heather's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.