Desire
Meaningdesired · French
- US rank
- #2,239
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1,174 in 1992
82 babies were named Desire in the US in 2025. It has dropped 189 places in five years.
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US births per million girls, 1955–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Desire you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 19,608 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Desire, 82 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Desire would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryDesire first shows up in US birth records in 1915, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 110 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1992, when it reached #1,174.
- TrendDesire has slipped 189 places over the last five years and now sits at #2,239. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedDesire is most popular in Missouri, where it ranks #926. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
- Boy or girlDesire is given to both boys and girls: 86% of the 95 babies named Desire in 2025 were girls. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn French, Desire means “desired”.
About the name Desire
Desire is a girl name of French origin meaning “desired”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-ire”. US birth records list Desire for girls from 1955 to 2025, in 70 of those 71 years. Its best year was 1992, when it ranked #1,174 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #2,239, with 82 babies.
Origin:French names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.6 | 279,330 girls |
| 1960s | 6.3 | 159,236 girls |
| 1970s | 18 | 56,497 girls |
| 1980s | 46 | 21,716 girls |
| 1990s | 74 | 13,492 girls |
| 2000s | 72 | 13,873 girls |
| 2010s | 52 | 19,135 girls |
| 2020s | 55 | 18,056 girls |
Other spellings of Desire
More French girl names
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Violet · violet flower
- Girl name: Camila · temple attendant
- Girl name: Ellie · possibly light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Unisex name: Avery · elf counsel
- Girl name: Eloise · possibly healthy, wide
Questions about the name Desire
What does the name Desire mean?
Desire means “desired” in French.
What is the origin of the name Desire?
Desire has French roots in our records. Other French names include Charlotte, Evelyn, Violet.
Is Desire a boy or girl name?
Desire is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Desire?
Desire ranked #2,239 for US girls in 2025, given to 82 babies. Its best year was 1992 (#1,174).