Agnes is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Agnes means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Agnes across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Agnes has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Agnes is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “pure, holy”. borne by an early Christian martyr.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 159,982 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,782 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 305 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 4 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 726 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Agnes per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1918 (5,303/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (140/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (61/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (36/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2016 (4/yr).
Agnes has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1918, when it ranked #85 nationally (given to 5,303 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1910s.
Agness · Agnese · Agnus · Akanesi · Agnessa · Agnesa · Ignas · Ugnius
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