Honey

GirlEnglish, Old English· “honey; a term of endearment”

Meaning
honey; a term of endearment
Origin
English, Old English
Pronunciation
HUH-nee
Syllables
2
US rank 2025
#846
US babies 2025
322
Best rank
#846 (2025)
Peak year
2025

Meaning and origin of Honey

Honey is an English and Old English name that means “honey; a term of endearment”.

Honey is the English word for the sweet food made by bees, from Old English hunig, and it has long been used as a term of endearment. As a given name it has a playful, vintage charm and was used occasionally in the twentieth century, often as a nickname. In Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, Honey Wilkes is a minor character, though the name is better known as an affectionate word than through any single bearer. Today it fits the trend for sweet, word-based names. Honey is short, cheerful and warm, and it can also serve as a charming middle name.

Famous parents who chose Honey: Brody Jenner and Tia Blanco (2023). More celebrity baby names

Popularity over time

0100200300400192019401960198020002020Peak 2025: 322
US babies named Honey per year, 1880 to 2025

Honey first appears in US Social Security records in 1912. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 2 different years, starting in 2024. It is at its all-time high right now: 2025 brought both its best national rank, #846, and its highest count, 322 babies. Use has grown 557% in ten years.

Its national rank moved from #3,763 in 1920, #1,850 in 1950, #1,694 in 1980, #4,852 in 2000, #2,302 in 2010, and #846 in 2025. Of the 4,757 US girls named Honey since records began, 26% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 1970s come next, with 662 babies.

Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Elani, Elia, Kahlani, Anaiah, and Lilia.

Where it is most popular (2025)

In 2025, Honey ranked highest in Arkansas, Hawaii, and Oklahoma.

StateRank thereBabies
Arkansas#14620
Hawaii#1855
Oklahoma#41210
Idaho#4375
Utah#4599

Gender, sound and spelling

In the US it is used almost only for girls.

Honey is usually pronounced HUH-nee, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with H and ends in “-ey”.

Middle names for Honey

A few middle names that flow with Honey: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.

Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Grace Girl
GRAYS
“grace” · English
#38
Claire Girl
KLAIR
“clear, bright” · French
#68
Lily Girl
LIH-lee
“lily flower” · English
#18
Savannah Girl
suh-VAN-uh
“treeless grassland” · English
#135

Sibling names for Honey

Similar names

Hailey Girl
HAY-lee
“hay clearing” · English
#104
Sydney Girl
SIHD-nee
“from an English surname and place name” · Old English
#348
Hadley Girl
HAD-lee
“heather clearing” · English
#121
Marley Girl
MAHR-lee
“pleasant wood or clearing” · English
#322
Presley Girl
PREZ-lee
“priest's clearing” · English
#225
Haley Girl
HAY-lee
“hay clearing” · English
#861
Harley Unisex
HAR-lee
“hare meadow” · Old English
#418
Oakley Unisex
OHK-lee
“oak clearing” · English
#156
Charley Girl
CHAR-lee
“free man; short for Charles” · English
#760
Laney Girl
LAY-nee
“short form of Elaine” · English
#674
Wrenley Girl
REHN-lee
“modern blend of Wren and -ley” · American (modern coinage)
#159
Riley Unisex
RY-lee
“rye clearing” · English
#48

Lists that include Honey

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Honey mean?

Honey is an English and Old English name that means “honey; a term of endearment”.

What is the origin of the name Honey?

Honey has English and Old English roots. Honey is the English word for the sweet food made by bees, from Old English hunig, and it has long been used as a term of endearment.

Is Honey a popular name?

Yes. Honey ranked #846 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.

Is Honey a boy or girl name?

Honey is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.

How do you pronounce Honey?

Honey is usually pronounced HUH-nee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.

Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings