unisex name
Temple
TEM-pul (English)
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 2,396
Temple is a unisex name with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 65% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1971, when 104 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 368,460 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1884.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Temple 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 | 10 |
| 1890s | 17 |
| 1900s | 26 |
| 1910s | 180 |
| 1920s | 188 |
| 1930s | 199 |
| 1940s | 178 |
| 1950s | 168 |
| 1960s | 375 |
| 1970s | 385 |
| 1980s | 127 |
| 1990s | 126 |
| 2000s | 145 |
| 2010s | 193 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 79 |
How Popular Is Temple?
In 2025, Temple was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
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 Temple
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Temple Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Temple over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Temple
- English TEM-pul /ˈtɛmpəl/
Sibling Names for Temple
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Temple — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Temple
How popular is the name Temple?
In 2025, Temple was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Temple a girl's or a boy's name?
Temple is used for both girls and boys. About 65% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Temple?
Temple has 2 syllables.
When was Temple most popular?
Temple peaked in 1971, when 104 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Temple a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Temple currently ranks #10,774 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.