The first name Whitney
A girl’s name from English meaning “white”, “island”, “white island”.
Pronounced /ˈwɪtni/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Whitney means “white”, “island”, “white island” in English.
From Old English hwītan, dative of hwīt (“white”) + īeġ (“island”), "white island".
More names that mean white.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 girls were named Whitney, making it the 3,035th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 97 births (#346).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Whitney with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Whitney at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 238 girls born in the United States were named Whitney, the 1,046th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1986, when 9,536 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Whitney
25 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Whitney HoustonAmerican singer, actress, and film producer (1963–2012)
- Whitney Wolfe HerdAmerican businesswoman, born 1989
- Whitney CummingsAmerican actress, comedian and writer (born 1982)
- Whitney SmithFounder of vexillology (1940–2016)
- Whitney AbleAmerican actress and model, born 1982
- Whitney PortAmerican fashion designer, born 1985
- Whitney ThompsonAmerican model, born 1987
- Whitney EngenAmerican soccer player, born 1987
- Whitney HedgepethAmerican swimmer, born 1971
- Whitney BlakeAmerican film and television actress, director; television producer (1926-2002)
- Whitney RydbeckAmerican actor (1945-2024)
- Whitney YoungAmerican civil rights leader (1921–1971)
More English girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Whitney mean?
- Whitney means “white”, “island”, “white island” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Whitney?
- From Old English hwītan, dative of hwīt (“white”) + īeġ (“island”), "white island".
- How popular is the name Whitney?
- In 2025, 8 girls born in England and Wales were named Whitney, ranking 3,035th. Its peak was 1997, with 97 births.
- Is Whitney a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 103,657 US babies named Whitney since 1880, 94% were girls and 6% boys.
- When was Whitney most popular?
- 1986 in the United States, when 9,536 babies were named Whitney, its highest rank at 32nd.
- How do you pronounce Whitney?
- Whitney is /ˈwɪtni/, 2 syllables.
- Is Whitney also a surname?
- Yes. Whitney is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.