Fun Facts About the Name Winnie
- More than 27 thousand babies named Winnie: U.S. records list 27,334 babies given the name Winnie from 1880 through 2025. Even 228 boys received the name Winnie - about 1 boy for every 119 girls.
What Does the Name Winnie Mean?
Winnie is an English diminutive of Winifred, and its established meaning is blessed peacemaking or holy reconciliation. Winifred is the English form of the Welsh name Gwenfrewi, formed from gwen 'fair, white, blessed, holy' and frewi 'peace, reconciliation.' The second element is not fully certain; the gloss 'peace, reconciliation' is the usual explanation, but the exact sense is debated. The Welsh name was Latinized in medieval sources as Winefrida or Wenefreda. Winnie adds the English diminutive ending -ie to the first part of Winifred, so it has no separate literal etymology of its own. A similar-looking Old English masculine name, Winefrið, from wine 'friend' and friþ 'peace,' is a distinct name, though its spelling may have influenced forms of Winifred. Winnie is also used as a pet form of other names, such as Winona, but in that use it borrows a different name's meaning rather than having an independent origin.
Winnie Name History & Origins
Winnie developed in English as a shortened, affectionate form of Winifred. The parent name belongs to Saint Winifred (Welsh: Gwenfrewi), a 7th-century Welsh virgin who, according to tradition, was martyred after refusing the advances of a prince named Caradoc. A spring said to have appeared where she was killed became St Winifred's Well at Holywell in Flintshire, Wales, a pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages. Her feast day is November 3. The Welsh name was rendered in Latin as Winefrida and in English as Winifred; the name was used in medieval England and has continued in use. The familiar form Winnie follows the common English pattern of making a pet name from the first syllable of a longer name plus -ie.
In modern English-speaking countries, Winnie is used both as a diminutive of Winifred and as an independent given name. It has remained familiar in part through well-known uses: Winnie was a nickname of Winston Churchill, and A. A. Milne used it for the bear in Winnie-the-Pooh (1926). The literary bear was named after a real Canadian black bear called Winnipeg, or Winnie, kept at the London Zoo. These associations are later than the name's origin as a diminutive of Winifred; they are famous uses, not the source of the name.
How Popular is the Name Winnie?
Winnie recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #162 in 1881.
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 | #475 | 646 | 0.0402% |
| 2024 | #550 | 551 | 0.0342% |
| 2023 | #609 | 489 | 0.0305% |
| 2022 | #592 | 506 | 0.0309% |
| 2021 | #692 | 418 | 0.0255% |
| 2020 | #769 | 353 | 0.0219% |
| 2019 | #812 | 337 | 0.0201% |
| 2018 | #1,007 | 258 | 0.0152% |
| 2017 | #1,004 | 259 | 0.0150% |
| 2016 | #1,096 | 235 | 0.0133% |
| 2015 | #1,188 | 213 | 0.0119% |
| 2014 | #1,408 | 163 | 0.0091% |
| 2013 | #1,898 | 106 | 0.0060% |
| 2012 | #2,001 | 98 | 0.0056% |
| 2011 | #2,663 | 67 | 0.0038% |
| 2010 | #2,475 | 76 | 0.0043% |
| 2009 | #2,242 | 88 | 0.0048% |
| 2008 | #2,750 | 67 | 0.0035% |
| 2007 | #2,058 | 100 | 0.0052% |
| 2006 | #2,725 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 2005 | #3,007 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 2004 | #2,740 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 2003 | #2,258 | 76 | 0.0042% |
| 2002 | #2,287 | 72 | 0.0040% |
| 2001 | #2,378 | 67 | 0.0037% |
| 2000 | #1,816 | 96 | 0.0053% |
| 1999 | #2,181 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 1998 | #2,161 | 67 | 0.0038% |
| 1997 | #2,553 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 1996 | #2,149 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 1995 | #2,344 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 1994 | #2,658 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 1993 | #2,151 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 1992 | #2,485 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 1991 | #2,135 | 63 | 0.0034% |
| 1990 | #2,051 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 1989 | #1,980 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 1988 | #1,985 | 61 | 0.0034% |
| 1987 | #2,331 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1986 | #2,561 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1985 | #2,934 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1984 | #2,147 | 47 | 0.0028% |
| 1983 | #2,850 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1982 | #2,767 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1981 | #3,144 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1980 | #2,390 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1979 | #2,580 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 1978 | #2,123 | 45 | 0.0029% |
| 1977 | #2,306 | 40 | 0.0026% |
| 1976 | #2,058 | 43 | 0.0029% |
| 1975 | #2,135 | 41 | 0.0028% |
| 1974 | #1,912 | 46 | 0.0031% |
| 1973 | #1,978 | 42 | 0.0029% |
| 1972 | #1,972 | 42 | 0.0028% |
| 1971 | #1,873 | 47 | 0.0028% |
| 1970 | #2,078 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1969 | #1,978 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1968 | #1,908 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 1967 | #1,658 | 48 | 0.0029% |
| 1966 | #1,858 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1965 | #1,487 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 1964 | #1,577 | 53 | 0.0028% |
| 1963 | #1,488 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 1962 | #1,221 | 83 | 0.0042% |
| 1961 | #1,215 | 83 | 0.0041% |
| 1960 | #1,293 | 73 | 0.0036% |
| 1959 | #1,255 | 74 | 0.0037% |
| 1958 | #1,253 | 73 | 0.0036% |
| 1957 | #968 | 115 | 0.0056% |
| 1956 | #1,042 | 97 | 0.0048% |
| 1955 | #1,025 | 97 | 0.0050% |
| 1954 | #964 | 102 | 0.0053% |
| 1953 | #933 | 103 | 0.0055% |
| 1952 | #874 | 112 | 0.0060% |
| 1951 | #732 | 143 | 0.0079% |
| 1950 | #761 | 130 | 0.0076% |
| 1949 | #718 | 140 | 0.0082% |
| 1948 | #674 | 153 | 0.0090% |
| 1947 | #628 | 179 | 0.0101% |
| 1946 | #587 | 186 | 0.0118% |
| 1945 | #525 | 195 | 0.0149% |
| 1944 | #535 | 185 | 0.0139% |
| 1943 | #514 | 210 | 0.0151% |
| 1942 | #474 | 242 | 0.0179% |
| 1941 | #442 | 240 | 0.0199% |
| 1940 | #433 | 247 | 0.0216% |
| 1939 | #426 | 252 | 0.0230% |
| 1938 | #453 | 223 | 0.0202% |
| 1937 | #406 | 254 | 0.0239% |
| 1936 | #393 | 263 | 0.0253% |
| 1935 | #344 | 346 | 0.0330% |
| 1934 | #362 | 306 | 0.0293% |
| 1933 | #333 | 354 | 0.0351% |
| 1932 | #350 | 328 | 0.0307% |
| 1931 | #341 | 348 | 0.0327% |
| 1930 | #393 | 297 | 0.0264% |
| 1929 | #376 | 320 | 0.0287% |
| 1928 | #358 | 364 | 0.0316% |
| 1927 | #335 | 406 | 0.0340% |
| 1926 | #318 | 437 | 0.0369% |
| 1925 | #334 | 401 | 0.0329% |
| 1924 | #300 | 498 | 0.0399% |
| 1923 | #300 | 460 | 0.0381% |
| 1922 | #299 | 461 | 0.0384% |
| 1921 | #304 | 458 | 0.0371% |
| 1920 | #294 | 490 | 0.0409% |
| 1919 | #275 | 541 | 0.0479% |
| 1918 | #283 | 504 | 0.0435% |
| 1917 | #273 | 511 | 0.0473% |
| 1916 | #274 | 477 | 0.0457% |
| 1915 | #276 | 459 | 0.0467% |
| 1914 | #264 | 383 | 0.0503% |
| 1913 | #255 | 328 | 0.0525% |
| 1912 | #268 | 277 | 0.0496% |
| 1911 | #252 | 237 | 0.0567% |
| 1910 | #244 | 248 | 0.0625% |
| 1909 | #237 | 225 | 0.0648% |
| 1908 | #247 | 197 | 0.0589% |
| 1907 | #214 | 235 | 0.0738% |
| 1906 | #215 | 211 | 0.0715% |
| 1905 | #215 | 207 | 0.0710% |
| 1904 | #214 | 203 | 0.0737% |
| 1903 | #202 | 208 | 0.0794% |
| 1902 | #197 | 221 | 0.0837% |
| 1901 | #190 | 218 | 0.0911% |
| 1900 | #190 | 271 | 0.0904% |
| 1899 | #170 | 264 | 0.1133% |
| 1898 | #165 | 304 | 0.1175% |
| 1897 | #220 | 155 | 0.0662% |
| 1896 | #193 | 205 | 0.0862% |
| 1895 | #194 | 196 | 0.0839% |
| 1894 | #186 | 202 | 0.0906% |
| 1893 | #174 | 214 | 0.1005% |
| 1892 | #170 | 218 | 0.1027% |
| 1891 | #168 | 202 | 0.1089% |
| 1890 | #181 | 166 | 0.0872% |
| 1889 | #180 | 162 | 0.0908% |
| 1888 | #188 | 143 | 0.0801% |
| 1887 | #185 | 114 | 0.0781% |
| 1886 | #179 | 129 | 0.0893% |
| 1885 | #221 | 80 | 0.0601% |
| 1884 | #196 | 92 | 0.0713% |
| 1883 | #232 | 62 | 0.0552% |
| 1882 | #189 | 74 | 0.0686% |
| 1881 | #162 | 84 | 0.0914% |
| 1880 | #222 | 49 | 0.0538% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | #4,192 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1943 | #4,030 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #4,038 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #2,868 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,668 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #3,961 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,171 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #3,631 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #3,264 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #3,770 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #3,995 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #4,530 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #2,385 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #3,135 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #3,735 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #3,502 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1923 | #3,170 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1922 | #3,525 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #2,800 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #2,964 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #3,113 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1918 | #3,092 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #3,507 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,647 | 8 | 0.0012% |
| 1907 | #1,543 | 5 | 0.0034% |
| 1899 | #1,048 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1898 | #999 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1893 | #1,029 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1892 | #1,255 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1886 | #1,104 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1884 | #846 | 7 | 0.0061% |
| 1883 | #1,029 | 5 | 0.0048% |
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.
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How the Name Winnie Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Winnie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Winnie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.