girl's name
Birdie
BUR-dee (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 15,219
the United States
#671
2025 births
Birdie is a girl's name meaning "little bird," formed from the English word bird with the affectionate ending -ie. It began as a pet name in the nineteenth century, sometimes for longer names such as Elizabeth, and it has been in steady use ever since.
- Birdie is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 422 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 7,856 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Birdie Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,237 |
| 1890s | 1,620 |
| 1900s | 1,605 |
| 1910s | 2,220 |
| 1920s | 2,202 |
| 1930s | 1,354 |
| 1940s | 889 |
| 1950s | 433 |
| 1960s | 187 |
| 1970s | 82 |
| 1980s | 27 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 50 |
| 2010s | 777 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,125 |
What Birdie Means
Birdie means little bird. It's an endearment turned into a name, suggesting something small, bright and lively, and it stands on its own without needing a longer formal name behind it.
Where Birdie Comes From
The name comes straight from the English noun bird, which goes back to Old English bridd, a word first used for a young bird. The ending -ie is the familiar pet suffix found in Annie and Hattie. Birdie appears as a given name in the United States by the 1880s, used for both girls and, less often, boys. Some families used it as a nickname for longer names such as Elizabeth, while others gave it as a full name. It was one of many nickname names that flourished in that era, and those same names have returned to favor among today's parents.
Birdie in Use
Actress Busy Philipps named her daughter Birdie, with Lady Bird Johnson as one inspiration. Spelling variants include Birdee, Birdy and Byrdie.
How Popular Is Birdie?
In 2025, Birdie was given to 422 babies in the United States, ranking #671 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Birdie Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Birdie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Birdie Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Birdie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Birdie
- English BUR-dee
Birdie in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Birdy
Sibling Names for Birdie
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Birdie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Birdie
What does the name Birdie mean?
Little bird, from the English word bird with the pet ending -ie.
Is Birdie a nickname or a full name?
Both. It started as a pet name and has been given as a full name since at least the 1880s.
What is Birdie short for?
It has been used for Elizabeth and other formal names, though it needs no longer form.
How popular is the name Birdie?
In 2025, Birdie was given to 422 babies in the United States, ranking #671 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Birdie a girl's or a boy's name?
Birdie is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Birdie?
Birdie has 2 syllables.
When was Birdie most popular?
Birdie peaked in 2025, when 422 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Birdie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Birdie currently ranks #617 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.