girl's name
Blanche
BLAHNSH
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 1
- Letters 7
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 129,265
France
#252
2025 births
Blanche means white, and its revival is entirely French — 252nd in France on 220 births against 6874th in the United States. That gap of more than 6,600 places is the widest market split in this group.
- Blanche is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 1917, when 2,842 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 207,211 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Blanche over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,936 |
| 1890s | 10,888 |
| 1900s | 11,759 |
| 1910s | 22,034 |
| 1920s | 19,669 |
| 1930s | 7,539 |
| 1940s | 4,022 |
| 1950s | 2,652 |
| 1960s | 1,187 |
| 1970s | 394 |
| 1980s | 226 |
| 1990s | 147 |
| 2000s | 76 |
| 2010s | 60 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 59 |
What Blanche means
Blanche means white, or fair. The Germanic word for white passed into French as the ordinary color term, so the name is a description of appearance used directly.
Where Blanche comes from
Blanche is the French for white, from a Germanic root that displaced the Latin albus in most of the Romance languages — the same word in Blanca, Bianca and the blank of a blank page, which began as white. It was a royal name from the twelfth century: Blanche of Castile ruled France as regent for Louis IX and then again while he was on crusade, and was one of the most effective rulers of the century. Tennessee Williams gave the name its modern American association with Blanche DuBois in 1947.
Blanche in use
Blanche peaked in the United States in 1917, when 2,842 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving — but the revival is entirely French. It ranks 252nd in France on 220 births against 6874th in the United States on 16, across 129,265 lifetime births in three of the seven markets we track. A gap of more than 6,600 places between two markets is the widest in this group by a long way.
How popular is Blanche?
In 2025, Blanche was given to 16 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Blanche 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 Blanche
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Blanche also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Blanche over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Blanche 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.
Sibling names for Blanche
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Blanche — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Blanche
What does the name Blanche mean?
White — the French color word, from a Germanic root.
Is Blanche related to Bianca?
Yes, and to Blanca. All three are the same Germanic word in different Romance languages.
Is the word blank related?
Yes — a blank page began as a white one.
Is Blanche coming back?
In France, strongly — 252nd there against 6874th in the United States.
How popular is the name Blanche?
In 2025, Blanche was given to 16 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Blanche a girl's or a boy's name?
Blanche is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Blanche?
Blanche has 1 syllable.
When was Blanche most popular?
Blanche peaked in 1917, when 2,842 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Blanche a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Blanche currently ranks #252 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.