Fun Facts About the Name Chip
- More than 3 thousand babies named Chip: U.S. records list 3,493 babies given the name Chip from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Chip Mean?
Chip is an English masculine name used mainly as a diminutive. It most often stands for Charles, and it is also used as a short form of Christopher. The name is identical in form to the English common noun chip, meaning "a small piece or fragment," which comes from Old English cipp; the personal name, however, is generally a nickname rather than a direct naming after the noun.
When Chip stands for Charles, it shares the Germanic meaning of that name: "free man" or "man," from Old High German Karl and Proto-Germanic *karlaz. When it stands for Christopher, it shares the Greek meaning of that name: "bearer of Christ," from Christophoros, composed of Christos ("Christ") and pherein ("to bear"). A traditional explanation for the nickname is that it was given to a son who was a "chip off the old block," especially a junior named after his father; this is a familiar rationale rather than a linguistic derivation.
Chip Name History & Origins
Chip developed as a familiar form of address in English-speaking families rather than as a traditional given name with a continuous history from the Middle Ages. In some cases, a boy named after his father might be called Chip, and the nickname could then stick as his everyday name.
The name is not derived from a saint's name or a royal name in its own right; its use depends on the fuller name it shortens. Charles has a long history in Europe, but Chip itself is a modern English-language nickname. It is also used as a standalone given name, especially in the United States. A well-known modern character is Chip, the teacup in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991), but that literary use is not the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Chip?
Chip recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1962. Its best rank was #593 in 1962.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,274 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2024 | #3,272 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2023 | #3,573 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #2,926 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 2021 | #3,081 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2020 | #2,665 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 2019 | #2,701 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 2018 | #3,546 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2017 | #3,255 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2016 | #5,600 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #6,053 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #8,920 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #9,836 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #11,074 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #11,245 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #12,857 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2007 | #9,057 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #10,904 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #11,748 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #11,180 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #8,612 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #9,460 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #7,413 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #6,072 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #9,084 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #7,078 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #5,413 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #6,223 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #4,270 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #4,004 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #3,111 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #2,043 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1987 | #2,965 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #3,294 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #2,180 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1984 | #2,047 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1983 | #1,792 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1982 | #2,011 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #1,636 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1980 | #1,382 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 1979 | #1,438 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1978 | #990 | 76 | 0.0046% |
| 1977 | #1,212 | 53 | 0.0032% |
| 1976 | #1,428 | 39 | 0.0025% |
| 1975 | #1,714 | 29 | 0.0019% |
| 1974 | #1,335 | 41 | 0.0026% |
| 1973 | #1,093 | 55 | 0.0035% |
| 1972 | #1,070 | 57 | 0.0035% |
| 1971 | #894 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 1970 | #846 | 91 | 0.0049% |
| 1969 | #837 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 1968 | #834 | 76 | 0.0044% |
| 1967 | #827 | 75 | 0.0043% |
| 1966 | #794 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 1965 | #715 | 109 | 0.0059% |
| 1964 | #615 | 162 | 0.0081% |
| 1963 | #600 | 171 | 0.0084% |
| 1962 | #593 | 171 | 0.0083% |
| 1961 | #622 | 164 | 0.0077% |
| 1960 | #681 | 133 | 0.0062% |
| 1959 | #653 | 138 | 0.0065% |
| 1958 | #770 | 93 | 0.0044% |
| 1957 | #768 | 96 | 0.0045% |
| 1956 | #703 | 111 | 0.0052% |
| 1955 | #746 | 96 | 0.0047% |
| 1954 | #880 | 70 | 0.0034% |
| 1953 | #908 | 62 | 0.0031% |
| 1952 | #1,056 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 1951 | #1,281 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1950 | #1,224 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1949 | #1,351 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1948 | #1,525 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1947 | #1,368 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1946 | #1,519 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1945 | #1,638 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,098 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1942 | #3,276 | 6 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Chip
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with C
Unique Short Boy Names That Start with C
How the Name Chip Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Chip's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Chip's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.