Sky

UnisexEnglish, Old Norse· “sky”

Meaning
sky
Origin
English, Old Norse
Pronunciation
SKY
Syllables
1
US rank 2025
#949
US babies 2025
272
Best rank
#712 (2021)
Peak year
2021

Meaning and origin of Sky

Sky is an English and Old Norse name that means “sky”.

Sky comes straight from the English word for the heavens, which was borrowed in the Middle Ages from the Old Norse sky, meaning "cloud." The older English word for the sky was heaven. As a given name, Sky belongs to the family of nature names that became popular from the late twentieth century, used for both boys and girls. It suggests open space, freedom and calm, and it is one of the simplest names to spell and pronounce. The variant Skye also refers to the Scottish island of Skye. Sky works well as a first or middle name.

Other spellings with the same sound: Skye.

Popularity over time

01252503755001960198020002020Peak 2021: 405
US girlsUS boys

Sky first appears in US Social Security records in 1958. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 24 different years, starting in 1999. Its best national rank was #712 in 2021, the same year it reached its highest count of 405 babies. In 2025, 272 babies were named Sky, and it ranked #949 nationally. That is 26% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.

Its national rank moved from #2,989 in 1980, #993 in 2000, #999 in 2010, and #949 in 2025. Of the 9,743 US girls named Sky since records began, 33% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2000s come next, with 2,491 babies.

Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Bellamy, Scout, Khari, Layne, and Finnley.

Where it is most popular (2025)

In 2025, Sky ranked highest in Utah, Connecticut, and Georgia.

StateRank thereBabies
Utah#5348
Connecticut#5366
Georgia#57719
Louisiana#6707
Florida#69025

Gender, sound and spelling

Sky is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 77% of US babies named Sky were girls and 23% were boys.

Sky is usually pronounced SKY, with one syllable. It has three letters, starts with S and ends in “-ky”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Skye.

Middle names for Sky

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

Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Chloe Girl
KLOH-ee
“young green shoot” · Greek
#23
Grace Girl
GRAYS
“grace” · English
#38
Claire Girl
KLAIR
“clear, bright” · French
#68
Lily Girl
LIH-lee
“lily flower” · English
#18
Violet Girl
VY-uh-liht
“violet flower” · English
#13

Sibling names for Sky

Similar names

Sage Unisex
SAYJ
“wise; the herb” · Latin
#160
Colt Boy
KOHLT
“young horse” · English
#285
Reed Boy
REED
“red-haired” · English
#419
Wren Girl
REHN
“wren, a small songbird” · English
#231
Rayne Girl
RAYN
“rain” · English
#906
Ford Boy
FAWRD
“river crossing” · English
#474
Bear Boy
BEHR
“bear” · English
#853
Brooke Girl
BROOK
“small stream” · English
#313
Brooks Boy
BROOKS
“of the brook” · English
#64
Jay Boy
JAY
“jay bird; short for J-names” · English
#392
Heath Boy
HEETH
“heath, open land with heather” · English
#932
Stone Boy
STOHN
“stone” · English
#916

Lists that include Sky

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Sky mean?

Sky is an English and Old Norse name that means “sky”.

What is the origin of the name Sky?

Sky has English and Old Norse roots. Sky comes straight from the English word for the heavens, which was borrowed in the Middle Ages from the Old Norse sky, meaning "cloud." The older English word for the sky was heaven.

Is Sky a popular name?

Yes. Sky ranked #949 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.

Is Sky a boy or girl name?

Sky is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 77% of US babies named Sky were girls and 23% were boys.

How do you pronounce Sky?

Sky is usually pronounced SKY. 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