Buddy is a distinctive choice, ranked #651 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Buddy in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#651
About the Name Buddy
Buddy has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 195 places in five years. It was most popular in 2016 at #282 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Buddy is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Buddy
Unlikely. With around 57 UK babies named Buddy per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Buddy in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Buddy has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 195 places in the last five years. Its peak was #282 in 2016. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Buddy is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Buddy include: Buddy Hield — Chavano Rainer "Buddy" Hield is a Bahamian professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).; Buddy Dyer — John Hugh "Buddy" Dyer is an American politician who has served as the Mayor of Orlando since 2003..
Buddy does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Buddys in the wild.
57
UK babies named Buddy (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 195 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Buddy
Likely around 1 other Buddy in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Buddy
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Bernhard Paul "Buddy" Elias was a German-born Swiss actor and president of the Anne Frank Fonds, the foundation dedicated to preserving the memory of his cousin Anne Frank.
Kenneth Hood "Buddy" MacKay Jr. was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 42nd governor of Florida from December 12, 1998, to January 5, 1999, upon the death of Lawton Chiles.
Chavano Rainer "Buddy" Hield is a Bahamian professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners and was named the Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
John Hugh "Buddy" Dyer is an American politician who has served as the Mayor of Orlando since 2003. A member of the Florida Democratic Party, he is Orlando's longest-serving mayor.